Meaning of 划船
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to row a boat
- rowing; boating
- small boat
How to use 划船
划船 is a verb-object phrase meaning to row or go boating, often as a leisure activity in parks. Because it is verb plus object, you can split it: 划了一个小时船. Example: 周末我们去公园划船吧。(Zhōumò wǒmen qù gōngyuán huáchuán ba.) Let's go boating in the park this weekend.
划 (huá) has the knife radical 刂 on the right, so picture an oar cutting through water like a blade. 船 (chuán) starts with 舟, the boat component, so 划船 is simply cutting the water to move a boat.
Common mistake: Learners often read 划 as huà, as in 计划 (jìhuà) and 划分 (huàfēn), but in 划船 it is second tone huá. Also do not add another verb before it: say 去划船, not 去坐划船.
划船 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
划 huá · to row · 6 strokes
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船 chuán · boat · 11 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 划船.
| 计划 | jìhuà | plan; project |
| 轮船 | lúnchuán | steamship; steamer; steamboat |
| 规划 | guīhuà | to draw up a plan; to map out a program; a plan; a program |
| 划分 | huàfēn | to divide up; to partition |
| 船长 | chuánzhǎng | captain (of a boat); skipper |
| 飞船 | fēichuán | spaceship; spacecraft |
| 船员 | chuányuán | sailor; crew member |
| 策划 | cèhuà | to plot; to scheme |
| 船只 | chuánzhī | ship; boat |
| 帆船 | fānchuán | sailboat |
| 渔船 | yúchuán | fishing boat |
| 划算 | huásuàn | to calculate; to weigh (pros and cons) |
Questions about 划船
What does 划船 mean?
划船 (huáchuán) means "to row a boat; rowing; boating" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 划船?
划船 is made of 2 characters: 划 (6 strokes), 船 (11 strokes). That is 17 strokes in total.
Is 划船 an HSK word?
Yes. 划船 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
Why is 划 pronounced huá here but huà in 计划?
划 has two readings. Second tone huá is for physical actions like rowing or scratching, as in 划船 and 划火柴 (huá huǒchái, strike a match). Fourth tone huà is for dividing or planning, as in 计划 and 划分.
What is the difference between 划船 and 坐船?
划船 means you row the boat yourself, usually a small boat for fun. 坐船 (zuò chuán) means you ride on a boat as a passenger, such as a ferry or a 轮船 (lúnchuán).