船ふね

noun

ship; boat; watercraft; vessel; seaplane

Only when written 船 / 舟

Broad word for a vehicle or craft that travels on water. 船 is the general spelling; 舟 often suggests a small or hand-propelled boat. The seaplane meaning is a limited extension; 水上機 is the clearer modern term for a seaplane.

• 港みなとに大おおきな船ふねが入はいってきた。

  A large ship came into the port.

• 川かわを小ちいさな舟ふねで渡わたった。

  We crossed the river in a small boat.

noun

tank; tub; vat; trough

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.

• 寒さむい日ひは湯ゆ船ぶねにゆっくりつかりたい。

  On cold days, I want to soak leisurely in the bathtub.

• 酒さけを搾しぼるための槽ふねを、現げん場ばでは「ふね」と呼よぶことがある。

  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.

• 宴えん会かいで刺さし身みの舟ふな盛もりを二に舟ふね頼たのんだ。

  At the banquet, we ordered two boat-shaped platters of sashimi.