小舟・小船|こぶねkobune[0]heiban (flat)

1. nounsmall boat
   私わたしたちは小船こぶねでその川かわを渡わたった。↗

   We went down the river in a small boat.

• SynonymボートNeutralA loanword for a small boat or rowboat; the most common word in everyday speech. 「小舟」 is a native word with a literary flavour.
• Synonym端艇たんていWrittenA written, nautical term for a small boat carried aboard a large ship; technical rather than literary, unlike 「小舟」.
• Synonym艇ていWrittenA written word for a boat, used mostly as a suffix in compounds like 「救命艇」; it lacks the literary colour of 「小舟」.
• Synonym扁舟へんしゅうWrittenA written, poetic term for a light one- or two-person skiff; a word of poetry and formal prose rather than the broader literary tone of 「小舟」.
• Antonym大船おおぶねNeutralThe antonym: a large boat or ship. Often seen in the phrase 「大船に乗った気持ち」; it stands in direct contrast to 「小舟」.

Use 「小舟」 for a small boat when you want a literary touch, as in 「小舟を漕ぐ」. In everyday speech say 「ボート」; for ship's boats in nautical contexts use 「端艇」; 「艇」 appears mainly in compounds; 「扁舟」 suits poetry and formal prose; the opposite is 「大船」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 小型こがたの船舶せんぱく。