盘点 (pán diǎn) — to take inventory, to stocktake

Definition

verb

to take inventoryto stocktake

盘点。
Chāo shì měi tiān wǎn shàng guān mén hòu dōu yào pán diǎn huò wù.
The supermarket takes inventory of goods every night after closing.
盘点，。
Kuài jì zhèng zài cāng kù lǐ pán diǎn, qǐng bú yào dǎ rǎo tā.
The accountant is doing inventory in the warehouse; please don't disturb her.
盘点，。
Gōng sī měi nián nián dǐ pán diǎn yí cì, jiǎn chá suǒ yǒu zī chǎn.
The company takes inventory once at the end of the year, checking all assets.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

盘 and 点 both give 'count/check', so together they mean to take inventory.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 盤; 盘 is its simplified writing.

般皿盤

Meaning part形符xíngfú

皿皿mǐn

Sound part声符shēngfú

般

Same sound today

The traditional form 盤 pairs 般, which gives the sound, with 皿, a vessel. This note is about 盤, not the simplified 盘.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

黑占點

Meaning part形符xíngfú

黑黑hēiblack

Sound part声符shēngfú

占

占zhàn點diǎn(r)

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.