船舶

• Pinyin: chuán bó
• Hanzi breakdown: 船 = 舟 (boat) + 㕣 (phonetic) = boat; 舶 = 舟 (boat) + 白 (white, phonetic) = ocean vessel

Meaning

Ships and vessels; shipping; watercraft. A formal term for boats and ships collectively.

A formal, technical term used in maritime, legal, and industrial contexts. Encompasses all types of watercraft. 船舶工业 (shipbuilding industry), 船舶登记 (ship registration) are common collocations. More formal than 船.

Examples

1. 中国的船舶制造业在全球占有重要地位。 China's shipbuilding industry holds an important position globally.
2. 所有船舶必须遵守国际海事组织的规定。 All vessels must comply with the regulations of the International Maritime Organization.
3. 这个港口可以停泊大型远洋船舶。 This port can accommodate large ocean-going vessels.

Usage Guide

Context: maritime, industrial, legal

Tone: technical

Do Say

• 船舶入港前需要提前申报。(Ships must declare in advance before entering port.)
• 全球百分之九十的贸易由船舶运输完成。(Ninety percent of global trade is carried by shipping.)

Don't Say

• 我坐船舶去旅游 (Too formal for personal travel — use 坐船 or 坐游轮)

Origin & History

Compound of 船 (boat, ship) and 舶 (ocean-going vessel). 舶 originally referred specifically to large seafaring vessels.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal