also: いくさぶね
noun
warship; military vessel
Refers to a ship used for military purposes, powered by wind or human effort (oars). Typically used in historical contexts before the age of steam-powered warships.
江戸時代の軍船は、主に風力と人力で動いていた。
Warships in the Edo period were mainly powered by wind and human effort.
この博物館には、戦国時代の軍船の模
This museum displays a model of a warship from the Warring States period.
戦艦 refers specifically to a battleship, a heavily armed and armored warship of the modern era, while 軍船 is a broader term for any military ship, especially pre-modern ones.
軍艦 is a general term for a modern warship, often steam-powered or nuclear, whereas 軍船 typically implies a traditional sailing or rowing vessel.
Compound of 軍 (military) and 船 (ship). The reading ぐんせん is the standard Sino-Japanese reading, while いくさぶね uses the native Japanese reading for 軍 (いくさ, 'war') and 船 (ふね, 'boat'), reflecting an older naming pattern.