船長

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 船長 is read as せんちょう and is a noun for the captain responsible for a ship's operation and for the people aboard.
• Basic usage: Addressing passengers appears in 船長が乗客に説明する, while reuniting with family after a voyage appears in 船長が家族と再会する.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• The person responsible for a vessel
  • It denotes more than someone aboard the ship; it is the role responsible for navigation decisions and safety.
• Difference from 船員
  • 船員 broadly means a crew member, whereas 船長 is the person who commands and bears responsibility for the ship.