"The boat is moving smoothly."

Translation: 배는 순항 중입니다.

[HuntingHawk1415]

중 = Middle

You can think of this construction being translated literally as:

In the middle of doing something

[oee16]

Another form of progressive tense

Verb + 는 중이다, be in the middle of V-ing

So:
배가 순항 중입니다 -
[Lit. The boat is in the middle of cruising] -
The boat is cruising along...

[TalvirChri]

And where is 'smoothly' then..? 0_o

[oee16]

배가 순항 중입니다 - The boat is cruising along.

Since "To cruise" is by definition, to move or proceed speedily, smoothly, or effortlessly [Merriam-Webster dict.]

=> 배가 순항 중입니다 = The boat is moving smoothly

[VIXX_LuvMyself]

Thanks!

[soobee620]

But you note below that 순항 is a noun. Can it then also be used with a noun that has a verbal meaning?

[oee16]

Yes. It has 2 forms.

V-는 중(이다) = (be) in the middle of Ving [similar to V-고 있다]

N 중(이다) = N in progress

Ex:

• 공사 중(이다) = (be) under construction

공사하는 중(이다) = (be) in the middle of being built

• 통화 중 = in the middle of a call

통화하는 중 = in the middle of making a call

[SebasNiedziela]

The boat is cruising.

[miyacoz]

for those who know japanese kanji (chinese hanzi): 배는 巡航 中입니다.

[Devina842083]

So what is 순항 means ?

[oee16]

순 = smooth

항 = sail, navigation

순항 (where 순 is used as a kind of postposition), noun = smooth sailing = cruising