沙盘 (shā pán) — (noun) sand table, used in military planning or strategy exercises; (noun) three-dimensional terrain or site model, used in real estate, geography, or urban planning; (noun) sand tray, used for practicing Chinese character writing

Definition

A physical 3D model made of sand (or a sand tray) used to represent terrain, layouts, or — distinctively in Chinese culture — to practice writing characters, which are smoothed away after each use.

noun
sand table, used in military planning or strategy exercisesthree-dimensional terrain or site model, used in real estate, geography, or urban planningsand tray, used for practicing Chinese character writing
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 沙盘。
    Jūn duì shǐ yòng shā pán lái mó nǐ zhàn chǎng dì xíng.
    The military uses a sand table to simulate battlefield terrain.
  • 沙盘。
    Shòu lóu chù yǒu yí gè jù dà de xiǎo qū shā pán.
    The sales office has a huge 3D model of the residential complex.
  • 沙盘，。
    Tā yòng shā pán liàn xí xiě hàn zì, xiě wán le jiù tuī píng.
    He uses a sand tray to practice writing Chinese characters, then smooths it out when done.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

沙shāsand
盘pántray

沙 and 盘 combine as a sand tray or sand table.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

沙 puts 少 (dots) beside 水 (water), showing sand on a shoreline.

Open 沙 →

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
皿皿mǐn
Sound part声符shēngfú
般
般bān盤pán
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.

Open 盘 →

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