Basic Meaning
The character 盘 (pán) primarily means a tray, plate, or dish used to hold or serve food. It is a common noun in everyday life, often seen in contexts involving meals or serving.
Extended Uses
Besides its literal meaning, 盘 is also used in technology to refer to a disk or platter, such as in 硬盘 (yìngpán), meaning hard disk. This usage is common in computer-related conversations.
Figurative and Measure Uses
盘 can also denote a unit or round in games or competitions, such as a game of chess or Go (围棋). For example, 一盘棋 means one game or round of chess.
Common Collocations
- 一盘菜 (a plate of dishes): used when ordering or serving food.
- 硬盘 (hard disk): computer storage device.
- 一盘棋 (a game of chess): a single match or round.
Usage Notes
When using 盘 to refer to food, it usually implies a flat container or a serving portion. In technology, it specifically refers to physical or logical disks. When talking about games, 盘 counts the rounds or matches.
Avoid confusing 盘 with 碟 (dié), which also means plate but often refers to smaller dishes or saucers. 盘 tends to be larger or more general.