Refers to the front part of a ship. Often used in nautical contexts or in the compound 舳先 (へさき).
See also: 舳先
The bow of the ship cuts through the waves as it advances.
I stood at the prow and gazed at the horizon.
bow and stern
The kanji 舳 is composed of 舟 (boat) and 由 (reason/cause), but the exact historical derivation is uncertain. It has been used to denote the bow of a ship.