Chinese word

算盘

Pronunciation

Pinyinsuàn pán

Meaning

  • nounabacus

Example

他小时候常用算盘练习算术。tā xiǎo shí hòu cháng yòng suàn pán liàn xí suàn shù

He often used an abacus to practice arithmetic when he was a child.

Illustration for 算盘 (abacus)

More examples

老板表面客气，心里有算盘。láo bǎn biǎo miàn kè qì xīn lǐ yǒu suàn pán

The boss is polite on the surface, but has his own plans in mind.

Core concept

A hand-operated number board where movable beads mark place values, with the same image extending to careful calculation and advance planning.

Common phrases

  • 学算盘xué suàn pán

    learn to use an abacus

  • 心里有算盘xīn lǐ yǒu suàn pán

    have one's own plans in mind

  • 旧算盘jiù suàn pán

    old abacus

Similar words

珠算zhū suàn: The practice of moving counting beads to show numbers and work out calculations.
计算器jì suàn qì: An electronic device that calculates numbers when buttons are pressed.

Definition in Chinese

一种传统的算术器具，珠子穿在杆上表示不同位值，使用者通过移动珠子来记录和计算数值，便于进行加减乘除等运算。yì zhǒng chuán tǒng de suàn shù qì jù zhū zi chuān zài gān shàng biǎo shì bù tóng wèi zhí shǐ yòng zhě tōng guò yí dòng zhū zi lái jì lù hé jì suàn shù zhí biàn yú jìn xíng jiā jiǎn chéng chú děng yùn suàn

Word origin

The name combines 算 (suàn, "calculate") + 盘 (pán, "tray"), linking numerical work with a shallow board that holds the counting beads.

Usage tips

  • 把 (bǎ, "handle classifier") in 一把算盘 (yì bǎ suànpán, "one abacus") is a measure word for the object, not the separate 把 (bǎ, "take or handle") pattern used in many sentences.

Other meanings

  • calculationnoun
  • plannoun

Word lists with this word