港に大きな船が入ってきた。
A large ship came into the port.
川を小さな舟で渡った。
We crossed the river in a small boat.
Less common as an independent everyday word. This sense appears in compounds such as 湯船 for a bathtub and in specialized contexts where 槽 may be read ふね for a vat or trough.
寒い日は湯船にゆっくりつかりたい。
On cold days, I want to soak leisurely in the bathtub.
酒を搾るための槽を、現場では「ふね」と呼ぶことがある。
In some workplaces, the vat used for pressing sake is called a fune.
noun, used as a suffix, counter
counter for boat-shaped containers
Only when written 船 / 舟
A narrow suffix and counter for boat-shaped serving containers, especially sashimi platters such as 舟盛り. It is not the usual counter for actual boats; boats are commonly counted with 隻 or 艘.
宴会で刺身の舟盛りを二舟頼んだ。
At the banquet, we ordered two boat-shaped platters of sashimi.
They boarded a large ship and crossed to the island.
The ship left the harbor early in the morning.
The ship arrived earlier than scheduled.
Going to Europe by ship takes a long time.
船 is the everyday, native Japanese word for a ship or boat, while シップ is a katakana loanword mostly seen in compounds like クルーズシップ.
船 is the general word for any boat or ship, while フェリー specifically means a ferry that carries passengers and vehicles on a scheduled route.
船 is the general word for any boat or ship, while 大船 specifically emphasizes its large size.
船 is the everyday, general word for boat or ship, while 舟艇 is a formal, technical term used in official or military contexts for smaller vessels.
船 is the general word for a ship or boat of any size, while 艇 refers specifically to a small craft and appears mostly inside compound words like 競艇 or 救命艇.
船 is the broad native word for any boat or ship regardless of size or propulsion, while ボート specifically means a small boat, often one propelled by oars.
船 is the general word for any boat or ship, while 汽船 specifically means a steam-powered vessel.
船 is the broad, generic term for any ship or boat, whereas ヨット names a specific type of sailing vessel.
ボート refers specifically to a small boat or rowboat, whereas 船 is broader and can also mean a large ship.
タンク is the ordinary modern word for a tank, while 船 in the tank sense is limited to compounds like 湯船 or specialized usage.
For boats, especially small ones; large ships usually take 隻.
For ships and large vessels.
large boat; large ship
houseboat; roofed pleasure boat
fishing boat · boat-shaped hanging flower vase
departure from port; setting sail · outgoing ship; ship leaving port
treasure ship · picture of a treasure ship with the Seven Gods of Good Fortune
ferry; ferryboat
bathtub · rental boat with a bathtub (Edo period)
black ships; Western ships of the Edo period · foreign disruptor; Western market entrant
consort ship; accompanying vessel · boarding a ship together; joint boarding
A rare or specialized spelling for the tank, vat, tub, or trough sense.
Chinese ship; ship from China · Chinese-style ship; ship built in Chinese style · Japanese ship trading with China
earth-carrying boat; mud barge · mud boat (in folktales)
night boat; ship sailing at night
push boat; pusher craft; towboat
ship pulled up on a beach; stranded ship
water trough; cistern; water tank · water boat; boat carrying drinking water · waterlogged boat · coffin
net-fishing boat; netting boat