Ma'anar ƙamus na "cin jirgin ruwa" yana nufin ƙwarewa, ilimi, da dabarun da ake buƙata don aiki da sarrafa jiragen ruwa, jiragen ruwa, ko wasu jiragen ruwa. Ya ƙunshi ikon kewaya hanyoyin ruwa, sarrafa motsin jirgin, tuƙi da sarrafa jirgin, da amsa canjin yanayi da yanayin ruwa. Jirgin ruwa ya kuma ƙunshi matakan tsaro da hanyoyin gaggawa don magance haɗarin haɗari da haɗari akan ruwa. Gabaɗaya, yana nufin ƙwarewar abubuwan da ake amfani da su na kwale-kwale, da ikon sarrafa jirgin cikin aminci da inganci.