潜水艇

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 潜水艇 is read as せんすいてい and is a compound of 潜水 (submerging) and 艇 (small craft), meaning a submersible used for exploration or work.
• Basic usage: Use 潜水艇で潜る for the vehicle and 潜水艇の内部 for a part belonging to the craft.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Difference from 潜水艦
  • 潜水艇 is typically a smaller submersible, while 潜水艦 denotes a submarine, prominently in long-range or military use.
• Craft and model
  • In 潜水艇の内部を模型で再現する, the craft is what is represented and the model is the means of representation.