Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

船長 (senchou) Japanese meaning: ship's captain | Kotomora

船せん長ちょう

also: ふなおさ

せ

ん

ちょ

う

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

ship's captain; skipper

Only with reading せんちょう

The person in command of a vessel. Standard modern term.

船せん長ちょうは乗のり組くみ員いんに指し示じを出だした。

The captain gave orders to the crew.

彼かれは大おお型がたタンカーの船せん長ちょうを務つとめている。

He serves as the captain of a large tanker.

2

length of a ship

Only with reading せんちょう

Technical or formal term for a vessel's length. Less common in everyday speech.

この船ふねの船せん長ちょうは約やく300メートルです。
The length of this ship is about 300 meters.

3

Only with reading ふなおさ

Archaic term for a person who operates a boat, using the reading ふなおさ. Not used in modern Japanese.

古こ文もん書じょには、ふなおさが川かわを渡わたる人ひと々びとを助たすけたと記しるされている。
Ancient documents record that boatmen helped people cross the river.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉が船せん長ちょうになるfor someone to become a ship's captain
彼かれは長なが年ねんの経けい験けんを積つんで船せん長ちょうになった。
He became a captain after years of experience.
船せん長ちょうを務つとめるto serve as captain
彼かの女じょはこの船ふねの船せん長ちょうを務つとめている。
She serves as the captain of this ship.
船せん長ちょうの指し示じに従したがうto follow the captain's orders
乗じょう員いんは船せん長ちょうの指し示じに従したがって行こう動どうした。
The crew acted according to the captain's orders.

Kanji

船ship, boat
長long, leader, superior

Related words

スキッパー
船長 is the standard, formal Japanese word for a ship's captain, while スキッパー is a casual loanword used mainly for small boats or informal team leadership.
キャプテンN3
船長 specifically means the captain of a ship, whereas キャプテン is broader and covers sports teams and other groups as well as ships.

Don't confuse with

船せん員いん sense 1
船員 means any crew member or sailor, while 船長 specifically refers to the captain in command of the ship.
機き長ちょうN1sense 1
機長 is the captain of an aircraft, whereas 船長 is the captain of a ship, so the two are easily mixed up despite the parallel kanji structure.
艦かん長ちょう
艦長 is the captain of a military warship, while 船長 is the captain of a civilian ship such as a ferry or cargo vessel.

Counted with

人にん
The everyday counter for people: 一人 (ひとり), 二人 (ふたり), 三人 (さんにん).
名めいN2
More formal than 人 — used for headcounts in reservations, staff lists, and announcements (5名様).

Word family

船せん長ちょう室しつ
captain's cabin; captain's quarters

Written forms

船長Usage100%
- せんちょう
  Standard kanji form for the common reading せんちょう.
- ふなおさ
  Rare historical reading for the boatman sense; not used for the captain or ship-length senses.
ふなおさ

Etymology

Compound of 船 (ふね, 'ship') and 長 (ちょう, 'chief' or 'length'). The reading ふなおさ is an older native Japanese reading, now archaic.