Chinese word

独木舟

Pronunciation

Pinyindú mù zhōu

Meaning

  • nouncanoe

Example

爸爸会划独木舟。bà bà huì huà dú mù zhōu

Dad can paddle a canoe.

Illustration for 独木舟 (canoe)

More examples

我们坐独木舟过河。wǒ men zuò dú mù zhōu guò hé

We ride in a canoe across the river.

Core concept

A single log becomes a boat when its center is carved out for people to travel on water.

Common phrases

  • 划独木舟huà dú mù zhōu

    paddle a canoe

  • 坐独木舟zuò dú mù zhōu

    ride in a canoe

Similar words

独木船dú mù chuán: A boat carved from one whole log.
木船mù chuán: A boat made from wood.
筏fá: A floating vehicle made by tying logs or bamboo together.

Definition in Chinese

把一整根木头的内部挖空，做成能在水上行驶的船。bǎ yì zhěng gēn mù tou de nèi bù wā kōng zuò chéng néng zài shuǐ shàng xíng shǐ de chuán

Word origin

独 (dú, "single") + 木 (mù, "wood") identifies one log, and 舟 (zhōu, "boat") names the object made from it.

Usage tips

  • English canoe can name boats made from plastic or other materials, while this Chinese noun points to a boat made from one log.

Word lists with this word