A
sampan () is a relatively flat bottomed
Chinese wooden
boat from 3.5 to 4.5 m (approximately twelve to fifteen feet) long. Some sampans include a small shelter on board, and may be
used as a permanent habitation on inland waters. Sampans are generally used for fishing or transportation, in coastal areas or rivers. It is unusual for a sampan to sail far from land as they do not have the means to survive rough weather.
The word "sampan" comes from the original
Cantonese term for the boats, 三板 (
sam pan), literally meaning "three planks" , although this term is deprecated in modern Chinese. The name referred to the hull design, which consists of a flat bottom (made from one plank) joined to two sides (the other two planks). The design closely resembles Western hard
chine boats like the
scow or
punt.
Sampans may be propelled by poles, oars (particularly a single, long oar called a
yuloh) or may be fitted with outboard motors.
Sampans are still in use by rural residents of
Southeast Asia, particularly
Malaysia,
Indonesia,
Bangladesh, and
Vietnam.