盆 meaning and stroke order
Basin; flower pot; unit of volume equal to 12 斗[dou3] and 8 升[sheng1], approx 128 liters
How to write 盆, stroke by stroke
9 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 盆
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- basin
- flower pot
- unit of volume equal to 12 斗[dou3] and 8 升[sheng1], approx 128 liters
How 盆 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Dish.
皿 gives the meaning and 分 hints at the sound.
Radical: 皿 (dish), shared by 28 characters on this site.
How to remember 盆
盆 is pictophonetic: 皿 (dish) at the bottom gives the meaning, and 分 (fēn) on top hints at the sound pén. Picture a wide dish 皿 big enough to divide 分 water among many hands, and you have a basin.
盆 usually means a wide, open container like a washbasin, tub, or flower pot, and it often appears in compounds such as 脸盆 (liǎnpén) and 花盆 (huāpén). It can also work as a measure word for things in basins or pots. Example: 窗台上有一盆花。(Chuāngtái shang yǒu yì pén huā.) There is a pot of flowers on the windowsill.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes read 盆 as fēn because of the 分 on top, but the pronunciation is pén with a second tone. Also do not confuse 盆 (an open basin) with 锅 (guō), which is a cooking pot or wok.
Common words with 盆
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 脸盆 | liǎnpén | washbowl; basin for washing hands and face | HSK 5 |
| 盆栽 | pénzāi | to grow (a plant) in a pot; potted plant (sometimes refers specifically to a bonsai plant) | |
| 浴盆 | yùpén | bathtub | |
| 金盆洗手 | jīnpénxǐshǒu | lit. to wash one's hands in a gold basin (idiom); fig. to abandon the life of an outlaw | |
| 盆地 | péndì | (geography) basin; depression | |
| 花盆 | huāpén | flower pot | |
| 骨盆 | gǔpén | pelvis | |
| 倾盆大雨 | qīngpéndàyǔ | (idiom) a downpour; rain bucketing down |
盆 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 盆
How many strokes are in 盆?
盆 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 盆 mean?
盆 (pén) means basin; flower pot; unit of volume equal to 12 斗[dou3] and 8 升[sheng1], approx 128 liters. A common word with it is 脸盆 (liǎnpén), meaning "washbowl; basin for washing hands and face".
How do you pronounce 盆?
盆 is pronounced pén, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 盆?
The radical of 盆 is 皿, which carries the idea of "dish". Dictionaries list 盆 under this radical.
Is 盆 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 盆 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What does 倾盆大雨 mean?
倾盆大雨 (qīngpéndàyǔ) describes a very heavy downpour, as if someone tipped over a basin of water. It is common in weather reports and everyday speech.
Why is 盆 used in words like 盆地 and 骨盆?
Both words borrow the shape of a basin. 盆地 (péndì) is low land surrounded by higher ground, and 骨盆 (gǔpén) is the bowl shaped pelvis.