what is difference between 船 and 舟? - Feed Post by Raminta
what is difference between 船 and 舟?
posted by Raminta
Comments 3
From the answer on this page:
http://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/14650/whats-the-difference-between-舟-and-船
The interchangeability between 舟ふね and 船ふね , in theory, is close to non-existent. In real life, however, it is left to the judgement of each individual. Generally speaking, the more educated or well-read you are, the less interchangeable the two will become.
In school, we are taught to use 舟 to refer to a small boat, usually (but not necessarily) hand-rowed. 船 refers to a larger boat than a 舟. For this, 船 can be used for a much wider variety of boat sizes. It is all about the physical size, not the purpose of the boat (passengers. cargo, etc.).
Metaphorically, both 舟 and 船 are used as well.
舟：助け舟たすけぶね = "timely help or support", 舟ふね = "a small boat-shaped dish on which foods (like takoyaki and sashimi) are served", etc.
船：飛行船ひこうせん = "blimp", 宇宙船うちゅうせん = "spaceship", etc.
thank you for the answer
Nothing more to add to that answer. However, something else I personally found interesting a while ago...
In a Bible I own which is written in Japanese, it has Noah's ark written as 箱舟 (はこぶね). Box boat is an interesting word for "ark". :P
Also, it would have been kind of more apt if the 船 kanji had been used to write it, as that kanji is made up of 舟 (boat) + 八 (eight) + 口 (mouth), because it's written that Noah's ark (possibly the first ever boat) had eight people onboard! :P
