Chinese word

盏

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhǎn

Meaning

  • measure wordclassifier for lamps

Example

桌上放着一盏台灯。zhuō shàng fàng zhe yì zhǎn tái dēng

A desk lamp is on the table.

Illustration for 盏 (classifier for lamps)

More examples

门口挂着一盏灯笼，照亮了夜路。mén kǒu guà zhe yì zhǎn dēng lóng zhào liàng le yè lù

A lantern hangs at the entrance, lighting the path at night.

Core concept

A small lamp standing out as one separate point of light.

Common phrases

  • 一盏灯笼yì zhǎn dēng lóng

    one lantern

  • 一盏油灯yì zhǎn yóu dēng

    one oil lamp

  • 几盏灯jí zhǎn dēng

    several lamps

Similar words

台tái: Counts machines and electrical appliances, such as desk lamps and refrigerators.
个gè: A widely used classifier for people or things when no specific classifier is needed.
支zhī: Counts slender rod-shaped items, including pens, candles, and fireworks.

Definition in Chinese

表示灯火或小型照明器具数量的量词，侧重指单个可见的灯光或装置。biǎo shì dēng huǒ huò xiǎo xíng zhào míng qì jù shù liàng de liàng cí cè zhòng zhǐ dān gè kě jiàn de dēng guāng huò zhuāng zhì

Word origin

盏 (zhǎn, "classifier for lamps") descends from an older word for a small shallow oil vessel and its flame, so the object and its light became a natural basis for counting one lamp.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, this classifier often gives a more literary, scene-setting tone than a neutral everyday choice, so its presence can help identify descriptive language.

Word lists with this word