Definitions

pán (noun) plate; dish; tray
pán (verb) to coil; to wind
pán (verb) to examine; to check
pán (verb) to transfer (property)
pán (noun) hard drive

Etymology

Simplified form of . Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character '盘' originates from its traditional form '盤', a phonosemantic compound combining the radical '皿', indicating a container, with the component '般', which historically contributed to its pronunciation and initially denoted physical vessels like plates or trays. Its semantic range gradually broadened to include actions associated with coiling or winding, as seen in the term '盘旋', and further evolved to encompass meanings of checking, arranging, or settling, evident in words such as '盘点' or '盘问'. The simplified form '盘' retains the container radical '皿' but incorporates '舟' as a streamlined phonetic element, reflecting orthographic adjustments that paralleled the character's conceptual expansion from tangible objects to abstract applications.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Xin dynasty (9-23 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Jin dynasty (266-420 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

桌子上放着一个子。

Zhuōzi shàng fàngzhe yīgè pánzi.

There is a plate placed on the table.

她小心地端着子。

Tā xiǎoxīn de duānzhe pánzi.

She is carefully carrying the plate.

我的键很好用。

Wǒ de jiànpán hěn hǎo yòng.

My keyboard is very easy to use.

他正在问那个嫌疑人。

Tā zhèngzài pánwèn nàgè xiányírén.

He is interrogating that suspect.

这条蛇在树上。

Zhè tiáo shé pán zài shù shàng.

This snake is coiled around the tree.

我们需要点库存。

Wǒmen xūyào pándiǎn kùcún.

We need to take inventory.

她把头发成一个髻。

Tā bǎ tóufa pán chéng yīgè jì.

She coiled her hair into a bun.

经过仔细算,他决定投资。

Jīngguò zǐxì pánsuàn, tā juédìng tóuzī.

After careful calculation, he decided to invest.