Translation guide
The English word "vessel" has several distinct meanings: a ship or large boat, a container for liquids, a tube in the body, and a person who embodies a quality. This guide covers the most common Japanese equivalents for each sense, from everyday containers to formal nautical terms.
A hollow container used to hold liquids, such as a cup, bowl, or pot.
General word for any container or vessel. Neutral and widely used.
Please put water in this vessel.
Refers to a bowl, dish, or container, often with a sense of craftsmanship or suitability. Can be used metaphorically.
He arranged the food in a beautiful vessel.
Casual term for a container or receptacle. Common in everyday speech.
Bring some kind of vessel.
A craft designed for water navigation, especially a large seagoing one.
General word for ship or boat. Covers most watercraft.
The vessel entered the port.
Formal or technical term for vessels, used in legal, maritime, or news contexts.
Refers specifically to warships or military vessels.
A tubular structure in the body carrying fluid, such as blood or lymph.
A person regarded as a container or embodiment of a quality, spirit, or divine presence.
Used metaphorically for a person's capacity or character, as in 'vessel of talent'. Often in phrases like 器が大きい (broad-minded).
He is not vessel material for a leader.
Literal translation of 'person as a vessel', used in philosophical or religious contexts. Rare.
船 (ふね) is the everyday word for any boat or ship. 船舶 (せんぱく) is a formal, collective term used in official documents, news reports, and legal contexts. Use 船 in conversation unless you need a technical tone.
血管 (けっかん) specifically means blood vessel. For lymph vessels, use リンパ管 (リンパかん). For other tubular structures, use 管 (かん) or specific terms.
大型船舶の航行が確認された。
The navigation of a large vessel was confirmed.
艦船が演習に参加した。
The vessels participated in the drill.
I'm researching diseases of the vascular system.
She believed that humans are vessels for God's will.