Meanings of 盅
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About 盅
Podcast: 盅
Podcast: 盅
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AI Study Notes for 盅
茶杯 (chá bēi, teacup) vs 碗 (wǎn, bowl) — use 盅 specifically for small, handleless cups for liquids, unlike 茶杯 which may have a handle, or 碗 which is larger and used for solid foods.
Be careful not to confuse 盅 with other similar characters like 杯 (bēi), which specifically means 'cup' and may have handles. 盅 is more formal and often used in literary contexts, so it's less common in casual conversation. Remember that the tone is important; it should always be pronounced with the first tone (zhōng).
While 盅 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding this character can enhance your knowledge of dining-related terms. It connects well with other food-related words like 碗 (wǎn, bowl) and 杯 (bēi, cup), which are more commonly used in HSK levels 1 and 2.
Learners often confuse 盅 with 碗 (wǎn, bowl) or 杯 (bēi, cup), using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我喝茶在碗' (wǒ hē chá zài wǎn) instead of '我喝茶在盅' (wǒ hē chá zài zhōng) is incorrect.
Pronunciation of 盅
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Etymology of 盅
Phonosemantic compound. 皿 represents the meaning and 中 represents the sound.
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Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 盅
Phonosemantic compound. 皿 represents the meaning and 中 represents the sound.
- 1The meaning half皿 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half中 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaydish
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 盅? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 盅
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How to say small cup or bowl in Chinese
“small cup or bowl” in Chinese is盅
The character 盅 (zhōng) refers to a small cup or bowl, often used for serving liquids such as tea or soup. It is typically handleless and has a rounded shape, making it different from larger vessels. This term is commonly used in contexts involving dining, particularly in Chinese tea culture.
When to use 盅
Be careful not to confuse 盅 with other similar characters like 杯 (bēi), which specifically means 'cup' and may have handles. 盅 is more formal and often used in literary contexts, so it's less common in casual conversation. Remember that the tone is important; it should always be pronounced with the first tone (zhōng).
盅 or something close to it
茶杯 (chá bēi, teacup) vs 碗 (wǎn, bowl) — use 盅 specifically for small, handleless cups for liquids, unlike 茶杯 which may have a handle, or 碗 which is larger and used for solid foods.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 盅 with 碗 (wǎn, bowl) or 杯 (bēi, cup), using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我喝茶在碗' (wǒ hē chá zài wǎn) instead of '我喝茶在盅' (wǒ hē chá zài zhōng) is incorrect.
Write 盅
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Practice writing 盅 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 盅
Compound Meaning
What does 盅 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 盅
盅 refers to a small, handleless cup typically used for tea, while 杯 is a more general term for cup that can include those with handles.
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