这些名词均含有“船”之意。
boat : 泛指任何大小的船只，尤指靠划桨或风帆行进的无篷小船。
- You can take a boat trip along the coast.
你可以乘船沿海岸旅游一趟。
ship : 含义广，一般指大轮船，如航海船只，内河航运船只。
- Within ninety minutes the ship was ready for departure.
90分钟之内轮船准备出发。
canoe : 指长而轻，用桨的小舟、独木船。
- We saw the canoe overturn, throwing its passengers into the water.
我们看到独木舟倾覆了，把上面的乘客掀入水中。
steamer : 指靠蒸汽发动机为动力的船只。
- The steamer arrived at the quay with the tourists packed like sardines.
汽船驶抵码头，船上的旅客拥挤不堪。
vessel : 多指运货或运人的大船。
- A Moroccan fishing vessel and a South Korean cargo ship collided in rough seas.
一艘摩洛哥渔船与一艘韩国货船在波涛汹涌的大海上相撞了。
craft : 船只的集合名词，但可指单独的船只。
- Hundreds of small craft bobbed around the liner as it steamed into the harbour.
班轮驶进港口时，周围的许多小船颠簸起来。
