皿

mǐn

Definitions

mǐn (noun) dish; vessel; shallow plate

Etymology

Pictograph of a container for holding food.

About

The character 皿 serves as both a standalone word and a semantic radical for shallow vessels, dishes, and containers used to hold food or liquids. A pictograph, it visually depicts a wide, shallow bowl with a defined base and open top. This concept of a receptacle forms the semantic foundation for many characters related to containers, such as 盆 (basin) and 盘 (plate), where it typically appears at the bottom. As an independent character, 皿 continues to refer to domestic utensils and dishware.

Etymology Hide

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

妈妈用这个皿装水果。

Māma yòng zhège mǐn zhuāng shuǐguǒ.

Mom uses this dish to hold fruit.

实验室里有很多器皿。

Shíyànshì lǐ yǒu hěnduō qìmǐn.

There are many vessels in the laboratory.

请把那个皿递给我。

Qǐng bǎ nàgè mǐn dì gěi wǒ.

Please pass that dish to me.

这些皿需要消毒。

Zhèxiē mǐn xūyào xiāodú.

These dishes need to be sterilized.

培养皿用于细菌实验。

Péiyǎng mǐn yòng yú xìjūn shíyàn.

Petri dishes are used for bacterial experiments.

古代人使用陶制器皿。

Gǔdài rén shǐyòng táozhì qìmǐn.

Ancient people used pottery vessels.

这个皿的材质是不锈钢。

Zhège mǐn de cáizhì shì bùxiùgāng.

The material of this dish is stainless steel.

在化学实验中，器皿的清洁度至关重要。

Zài huàxué shíyàn zhōng, qìmǐn de qīngjié dù zhìguān zhòngyào.

In chemical experiments, the cleanliness of vessels is crucial.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 皿

皿