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HSK 3

盘子

plate; dish

nounneutral
盘
pán2nd tone
子
zineutral tone

HSK level

1
2
3
4
5
6
Pinyin
pánzi
Part of speech
noun
Level
HSK 3
Strokes
14
Register
neutral
Measure word
个 / 只

Stroke order for 盘子

盘子 is written with 14 strokes (盘: 11, 子: 3). The animation replays automatically.

What does 盘子 mean?

盘子 (pánzi) is the noun for a plate or shallow dish, the kind used to serve food on a dinner table.

The 子 is a noun-forming suffix with no separate meaning. Two things English speakers should note: first, 盘子 can also serve as a measure word for a dish of food — 一盘子菜 ('a plate of food') — though 一盘菜 (dropping 子) is more common in that measure usage. Second, Chinese kitchens distinguish 盘子 (flat plate, for stir-fries and main dishes) from 碗 (wǎn, bowl, for rice and soup) and 碟子 (diézi, small saucer for sauces and snacks).

When ordering at a restaurant, dishes come on 盘子; rice comes in 碗. Common phrase: 洗盘子 ('wash the dishes').

Character by character

盘pántray; plate; dish
+
子zinoun suffix (no independent meaning here)
=
盘子

Memory hook: 盘 already means plate; 子 just makes it a standalone noun, like '-ie' on cookie.

Example sentences

桌子上有一个盘子。

Zhuōzi shàng yǒu yí ge pánzi.

There's a plate on the table.

spoken

今天晚上我洗盘子。

Jīntiān wǎnshang wǒ xǐ pánzi.

I'll wash the dishes tonight.

spoken

请把鱼放在大盘子里。

Qǐng bǎ yú fàng zài dà pánzi lǐ.

Please put the fish on the big plate.

neutral

这个盘子太小了。

Zhège pánzi tài xiǎo le.

This plate is too small.

spoken

妈妈买了五个新盘子。

Māma mǎi le wǔ ge xīn pánzi.

Mom bought five new plates.

neutral

Common phrases with 盘子

洗盘子xǐ pánziwash the dishes
一个盘子yí ge pánzione plate
大盘子dà pánzibig plate
盘子里pánzi lǐon / in the plate
摆盘子bǎi pánziset out the plates

Synonyms

碟子diézi

碟子 is a small saucer — for soy sauce, snacks, or side dishes. 盘子 is a regular dinner plate. A pickle dish is 碟子; the main course goes on 盘子.

盘pán

盘 without 子 functions as a measure word (一盘菜 = a plate of food) or appears in compounds (棋盘 = chessboard, 算盘 = abacus). For the standalone object 'a plate', use 盘子.

Don't confuse 盘子 with

碗wǎn

碗 is a bowl — deep, used for rice, noodles, soup. 盘子 is a flat plate for solid dishes. At a Chinese meal, rice is in 碗, the shared dishes are on 盘子.

杯子bēizi

杯子 is a cup or glass for drinking. 盘子 is for food. Same 子 suffix, completely different vessel.

FAQ

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