船長
also: ふなおさ
Meanings
1
ship's captain; skipper
Only with reading せんちょう
The person in command of a vessel. Standard modern term.
The captain gave orders to the crew.
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.
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.
Ancient documents record that boatmen helped people cross the river.
Usage patterns
- 〈人〉が船長になるfor someone to become a ship's captain
He became a captain after years of experience.
- 船長を務めるto serve as captain
She serves as the captain of this ship.
- 船長の指示に従うto follow the captain's orders
The crew acted according to the captain's orders.