曳航(えいこう)船(せん)

えいこうせん
noun
tugboat; tug
transportation
1. tugboat; a boat that tows or pushes larger vessels
A small, powerful boat used to tow or push ships that are too large or disabled to maneuver on their own, especially in and out of harbors.
曳航(えいこう)船(せん)が港(みなと)に入(はい)る。
A tugboat enters the harbor.
大型船(おおがたせん)を曳航(えいこう)船(せん)が引(ひ)く。
A tugboat pulls the large ship.
The disabled ship was towed back to port by a tugboat.

Compound of 曳航(えいこう) (towing) + 船(ふね) (boat). A small, powerful vessel that tows or pushes larger ships, especially when guiding them through harbors or rescuing disabled craft.

Common collocations

  • 曳航(えいこう)船(せん)で引(ひ)く: to tow with a tugboat
  • 曳航(えいこう)船(せん)に曳(ひ)かれる: to be towed by a tugboat

In everyday speech it is often called タグボート.