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艘

sōu
HSK 2.0 Level 6 HSK 3.0 Level 6 Measure word Common

Definitions

  1. 1. classifier for ships
  2. 2. Taiwan pr. [sāo]

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Character focus

Stroke order

15 strokes

Word relationships

Related words

2 items
架
jià

to support

measure word for aircraft, also structured vessels; can be contrasted with 艘 for ships
船
chuán

boat

noun for boat or ship; often combined as 一艘船

Usage notes

Common mistakes

艘 is specifically for ships or large boats; do not use for cars, planes, or small objects.

Formality

艘 is formal and literary; in casual speech, 条 is often used instead for boats.

Example Sentences

5 shown
那 艘 轮船在海上航行。
That steamship is sailing on the sea.
那 艘 帆船在海上航行。
That sailboat is sailing on the sea.
这 艘 船很大。
This boat is very big.
这 艘 舰艇很大。
This warship is very big.
那 艘 潜艇潜入水中。
That submarine dived into the water.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.