艏 (shǒu) - Bow — the front part of a ship & prow.

艏Tone 3

shǒu ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

上姝

艏 · shǒu

Bow — the front part of a ship or boat;

prow.

Bow — the front part of a shipprow.

Usage highlights

Ship's bowBow sectionBow waveBow thrusterBow anchorBow design

Synonyms

  • 船头— ship's bow (more common term)
  • 首部— front section (nautical term)

Antonyms

  • 艉— stern (rear of ship)
  • 船尾— ship's stern

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The ship's bow (船艏) cut through the waves.
  • He stood at the bow (站在艏部) to get a better view.
  • The bow of the vessel (船舶艏部) was reinforced for ice navigation.
  • Bow thrusters (艏侧推器) help with maneuvering in port.

Collocations

  • Ship's bow(船艏)
  • Bow section(艏部)
  • Bow wave(艏波)
  • Bow thruster(艏侧推器)
  • Bow anchor(艏锚)
  • Bow design(艏设计)

Idioms

  • Cutting through waves and cleaving through the water (劈波斩浪) — often describes a ship's bow advancing

Cultural background

FAQ
  • A specialized nautical term, not commonly used in everyday language outside maritime contexts.
  • Reflects China's long maritime history and shipbuilding tradition.
  • The character combines 舟 (boat) and 首 (head), literally meaning 'boat head'.

FAQ