海运

• Pinyin: hǎi yùn
• Hanzi breakdown: 海 = 氵+ 每; 运 = 辶(movement) + 云 (cloud) — movement across the seas

Meaning

To ship by sea; ocean freight transport.

The dominant mode of global bulk cargo transport. Used in logistics, trade, and supply chain contexts. Frequently contrasted with 空运 (air freight) and 陆运 (land transport). Key collocates: 海运费 (sea freight charges), 海运公司 (shipping company), 海运集装箱 (shipping container).

Examples

1. 由于货物体积庞大，公司决定采用海运方式将其运抵目的地，以降低物流成本。 Because the cargo was so large, the company decided to ship it by sea to reduce logistics costs.
2. 全球供应链紧张导致海运费用在过去一年内暴涨了数倍，严重影响了出口企业的利润。 Global supply chain strains have caused ocean freight rates to surge severalfold over the past year, severely squeezing exporters’ profits.
3. 这批医疗物资通过海运从生产国运抵港口，再经陆路分发至各地的救援中心。 This batch of medical supplies was shipped by sea from the producing country to the port, then distributed by land to relief centers across the region.

Usage Guide

Context: logistics, trade, supply chain, business

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 考虑到时效要求不高而成本敏感度较高，采购部门最终选择了海运而非空运。(Given that time sensitivity was low but cost sensitivity was high, the procurement department ultimately chose sea freight over air freight.)
• 港口工人罢工导致大量集装箱滞留，直接影响了依赖海运的众多进出口企业的正常运营。(A port worker strike left large numbers of containers stranded, directly disrupting the normal operations of many import and export companies relying on ocean shipping.)

Don't Say

• 海运指快速运输 — 海运 is known for being slow and economical; for speed use 空运; don't call something 海运 when urgency is the priority

Origin & History

海 (sea) + 运 (transport, carry) — transportation by sea

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal