About
The character "艘" is structured with the boat radical "舟" on the left, immediately categorizing it within the semantic domain of vessels and watercraft, while the right-hand component "叟" primarily serves a phonetic function, though it originally carried connotations of searching or handling. Its earliest usage was as a verb meaning to drag or probe in water, likely relating to the handling or measuring of a boat's depth. Over time, this verbal sense faded, and the character solidified into a specific noun, referring to the hull or body of a ship itself. This nominal meaning then further specialized, leading to its predominant modern function as a dedicated measure word for counting ships and large boats, a grammatical role it maintains exclusively within its nautical context.
Example Sentences Hide
这是一艘小船。
湖上有一艘船。
他买了一艘新船。
这艘船很大。
港口停泊着许多艘船。
我们公司拥有三艘货轮。
那艘军舰正在执行任务。
根据计划，他们将建造五艘新型潜艇。