船员

• Pinyin: chuán yuán
• Hanzi breakdown: 船 = 舟 (boat) + 㕣 (phonetic), ship; 员 = 口 (mouth) + 贝 (shell), member

Meaning

Crew member; sailor; seaman. A person working on a ship.

Refers to anyone working on a vessel, from sailors to officers to support staff. Does not typically include passengers. Common in maritime contexts, news about shipping, and discussions of seafaring careers.

Examples

1. 这艘货轮上有二十名船员，来自五个不同的国家。 This cargo ship has twenty crew members from five different countries.
2. 船员们在海上漂泊了三个月才靠岸。 The crew drifted at sea for three months before reaching shore.
3. 当船员很辛苦，要长期离开家人。 Being a sailor is hard work — you have to be away from family for long periods.

Usage Guide

Context: maritime, transportation, career

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 所有船员都必须参加安全培训。(All crew members must attend safety training.)
• 他当了三十年船员。(He's been a sailor for thirty years.)

Don't Say

• '船员'不包括乘客，只指工作人员 (船员 does not include passengers — it only refers to the working staff)

Origin & History

Combines 船 (ship/boat) with 员 (member/personnel), meaning personnel of a ship.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal