盘

• Pinyin: pán
• Hanzi breakdown: 盘 = 舟 (boat, simplified top) + 皿 (vessel/dish) — a wide, flat container

Meaning

Plate; tray; dish; coil. Also a measure word for dishes of food, games of chess, or coiled objects.

As a noun, 盘 refers to a flat container (similar to 盘子). As a measure word, it counts servings of food (一盘菜), games of chess (一盘棋), or coiled items (一盘蚊香). Also appears in compounds like 棋盘 (chessboard), 硬盘 (hard drive), and 盘点 (to take stock/inventory).

Examples

1. 服务员端了一盘水果过来。 The waiter brought over a plate of fruit.
2. 我们下了三盘棋，他赢了两盘。 We played three games of chess, and he won two.
3. 桌子上放着一盘热气腾腾的饺子。 On the table sat a plate of steaming dumplings.

Usage Guide

Context: food, games, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 再来一盘炒饭，谢谢。(One more plate of fried rice, please.)
• 我们再下一盘棋吧。(Let's play another game of chess.)

Don't Say

• 一盘水 (Don't use 盘 as a measure word for liquids — use 杯 for cups/glasses or 碗 for bowls; 盘 is for flat servings of food or games)

Origin & History

The character 盘 originally depicted a dish or plate (皿 vessel radical) used for serving food, later extending to flat, round surfaces and counting units.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal