The Chinese word 潜水艇 (qiánshuǐtǐng, meaning submarine) is formed by combining three characters: 潜, meaning to dive or submerge; 水, meaning water; and 艇, meaning boat or vessel. Together, 潜水 (dive water) describes the action of submerging in water, and when 艇 is added, it specifies a vessel that performs this action, thus creating the term for a submarine.