艫 (lú) - Prow — refers to the bow or front & often used in classical Chinese literature.

艫Tone 2

lú ｜ 22 strokes ｜ radical:

林伦

艫 · lú

Prow — refers to the bow or front part of a ship or boat;

often used in classical Chinese literature.

Prow — refers to the bow or frontoften used in classical Chinese literature.

Usage highlights

Ship's prowProw and sternBow of a boatNaval vessel prowProw formationMighty prow

Synonyms

  • 船头— bow of a ship (more common modern term)
  • 舳— stern (complementary term)

Antonyms

  • 舳— stern (opposite end of the ship)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The ship's prow cut through the waves (船艫破浪).
  • Ancient naval battles involved prow-to-prow combat (艫艫相搏).
  • The fleet stretched from prow to stern (舳舻千里).

Collocations

  • Ship's prow(船艫)
  • Prow and stern(舳舻)
  • Bow of a boat(舟艫)
  • Naval vessel prow(舰艫)
  • Prow formation(艫阵)
  • Mighty prow(雄艫)

Idioms

  • Ships stretching a thousand li(舳舻千里)
  • Prow to prow, stern to stern(艫艫相继)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Primarily appears in classical Chinese texts and poetry describing naval scenes.
  • Often paired with 舳 (stern) to represent an entire fleet or long procession of ships.
  • Reflects China's historical maritime and riverine transportation importance.

FAQ