船

• Reading: ふね
• Romaji: fune
• Kanji breakdown: 船 (sen/fune) — ship, boat, vessel
• Pronunciation: /ɸɯ.ne/

Meaning

Ship; boat; vessel. Covers watercraft of all sizes, from small boats to large ships.

A noun meaning ship or boat. As an island nation, Japan has a long maritime tradition. 船 can refer to vessels of any size. The reading ふね is used for general reference, while ふな appears in some compounds. Ferries (フェリー) connect Japan's many islands.

Examples

1. 船で島に渡りました。 I crossed to the island by boat.
2. 港にたくさんの船があります。 There are many ships in the harbor.
3. 大きい船に乗ってみたいです。 I'd like to try riding on a big ship.

Usage Guide

Context: travel, maritime, islands

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 船 combines 舟 (boat) with 八口 as a phonetic element, originally depicting a hollowed-out vessel.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal