盘子

• Pinyin: pán zi
• Hanzi breakdown: 盘 = flat vessel (see 盘); 子 = common noun suffix in spoken Chinese

Meaning

Plate; dish. A flat, round container used for serving or eating food.

The everyday word for a plate or dish used at mealtimes. More specific and colloquial than 盘 alone. Common collocations include 洗盘子 (wash dishes), 大盘子 (large plate), and 碟子 (smaller dish/saucer). A basic kitchen and dining vocabulary word.

Examples

1. 请帮我把盘子放到桌子上。 Please help me put the plates on the table.
2. 吃完饭以后，他主动去洗盘子。 After the meal, he volunteered to wash the dishes.
3. 这个盘子太小了，装不下这么多菜。 This plate is too small — it can't hold this much food.

Usage Guide

Context: dining, kitchen, everyday

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 把菜放在盘子里端上来。(Put the food on a plate and bring it over.)
• 小心，这个盘子很烫。(Careful — this plate is very hot.)

Don't Say

• 盘子棋 (Don't use 盘子 as a measure word for chess games — use 盘; 盘子 is specifically the physical plate object)

Origin & History

A suffixed form of 盘 (plate) with 子 (noun suffix), making it a concrete everyday noun for the tableware item.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal