盆

盆 U+76C6, 盆 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-76C6 ← 盅 [U+76C5] CJK Unified Ideographs 盇 → [U+76C7]

Translingual

Han character

盆 (Kangxi radical 108, 皿+4, 9 strokes, cangjie input 金尸竹廿 (CSHT), four-corner 8010₇, composition ⿱分皿)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 793, character 5
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 22959
• Dae Jaweon: page 1208, character 7
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2558, character 7
• Unihan data for U+76C6

Chinese

trad.		盆
simp. #		盆

一個破爛的塑料盆／一个破烂的塑料盆

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 盆
Western Zhou	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Characters in the same phonetic series (分) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
扮	*prɯːns, *hmroːlʔ, *pɯn, *pɯnʔ
盼	*pʰrɯːns
頒	*praːn, *bɯn
朌	*praːn, *bɯn
鳻	*praːn, *bɯn
份	*prɯn, *bɯns
汃	*pʰreːd, *prɯn
玢	*prɯn
邠	*prɯn
攽	*prɯn
砏	*prɯn, *pʰrɯn, *pʰɯn
貧	*brɯn
湓	*pʰɯːns, *bɯːn, *pʰɯns
盆	*bɯːn
葐	*bɯːn, *bɯn, *bɯn
坌	*bɯːns, *bɯnʔ, *bɯns
坋	*bɯːns, *bɯnʔ, *bɯns
分	*pɯn, *bɯns
吩	*pɯn
粉	*pɯnʔ
黺	*pɯnʔ
芬	*pʰɯn
紛	*pʰɯn
衯	*pʰɯn
棻	*pʰɯn, *bɯn
氛	*pʰɯn, *bɯn
雰	*pʰɯn
忿	*pʰɯnʔ, *pʰɯns, *bɯnʔ
魵	*pʰɯnʔ, *pʰɯns, *bɯn, *bɯnʔ
汾	*bɯn
羒	*bɯn
枌	*bɯn
棼	*bɯn
妢	*bɯn
梤	*bɯn
馚	*bɯn
鼢	*bɯn, *bɯnʔ
蚡	*bɯn, *bɯnʔ
弅	*bɯnʔ
秎	*bɯns

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *bɯːn) : phonetic 分 (OC *pɯn, *bɯns) + semantic 皿.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): pén (pen²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄆㄣˊ

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): pun⁴ / pun^4-2

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): pun⁴

• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): phùn

  (Meixian, Guangdong): pun²

• Eastern Min (BUC): buòng
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): phûn

  (Teochew, Peng'im): pung⁵

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁶ben

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: pén
    • Zhuyin: ㄆㄣˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: pén
    • Wade–Giles: pʻên²
    • Yale: pén
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: pern
    • Palladius: пэнь (pɛnʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pʰən³⁵/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, erhua-ed) (盆兒／盆儿)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: pénr
    • Zhuyin: ㄆㄣˊㄦ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: pénr
    • Wade–Giles: pʻên²-ʼrh
    • Yale: pénr
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: perl
    • Palladius: пэньр (pɛnʹr)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pʰəɻ³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: pun⁴ / pun^4-2
    • Yale: pùhn / pún
    • Cantonese Pinyin: pun⁴ / pun^4-2
    • Guangdong Romanization: pun⁴ / pun^4-2
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pʰuːn²¹/, /pʰuːn²¹⁻³⁵/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: pun⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pʰun²¹/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: phùn
    • Hakka Romanization System: pun^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: pun²
    • Sinological IPA: /pʰun¹¹/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: pun²
    • Sinological IPA: /pʰun¹¹/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: buòng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /puoŋ⁵³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: phûn
    • Tâi-lô: phûn
    • Phofsit Daibuun: phuun
    • IPA (Xiamen): /pʰun²⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /pʰun²⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /pʰun¹³/
    • IPA (Taipei): /pʰun²⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /pʰun²³/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: pung⁵
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: phûng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pʰuŋ⁵⁵/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶ben
    • MiniDict: ben^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³ben
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /bən²³/

---

• Middle Chinese: bwon

Rime
Character	盆
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	並 (3)
Final (韻)	魂 (55)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	蒲奔切
Baxter	bwon
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/buən/
Pan Wuyun	/buon/
Shao Rongfen	/buən/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/bwən/
Li Rong	/buən/
Wang Li	/buən/
Bernhard Karlgren	/bʱuən/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	pén
Expected Cantonese Reflex	pun4

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*[b]ˤə[n]/

  (Zhengzhang): /*bɯːn/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	盆
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	pén
Middle Chinese	‹ bwon ›
Old Chinese	/*[b]ˁə[n]/
English	bowl, basin
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	盆
Reading #	1/1
No.	3144
Phonetic component	分
Rime group	文
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	盆
Old Chinese	/*bɯːn/

Definitions

盆

1. basin; tub (Classifier: 個／个 m)

   花盆  ―  huāpén  ―  flower pot

   洗臉盆／洗脸盆  ―  xǐliǎnpén  ―  washbasin

2. basin-shaped thing

   骨盆  ―  gǔpén  ―  pelvis

3. unit of volume equal to 12 斗 (dǒu) and 8 升 (shēng) (128 liters)
4. Classifier for basins of things.

   一大盆水  ―  yī dà pén shuǐ  ―  a large basin of water

   一盆花 [Cantonese]  ―  jat¹ pun⁴ faa¹ [Jyutping]  ―  a pot of flowers

5. a surname: Pen

Compounds

• 一盆漿糊／一盆浆糊
• 一盆火兒／一盆火儿
• 便盆 (biànpén)
• 傾盆／倾盆 (qīngpén)
• 傾盆大雨／倾盆大雨 (qīngpéndàyǔ)
• 四川盆地 (Sìchuān Péndì)
• 夜盆兒／夜盆儿
• 大洋盆地
• 大盆地
• 大雨傾盆／大雨倾盆 (dàyǔqīngpén)
• 尿盆兒／尿盆儿
• 屎盆子 (shǐpénzi)
• 巴黎盆地
• 戴盆望天
• 抱盆兒擲／抱盆儿掷
• 昏盆打醬／昏盆打酱
• 暖火盆
• 桑乾盆地／桑干盆地
• 棘盆
• 水盆
• 水罐銀盆／水罐银盆
• 泥盆紀／泥盆纪 (Nípén Jì)
• 洛伊盆地
• 洋底盆地
• 浴盆 (yùpén)
• 海盆
• 添盆
• 渭河盆地 (Wèihé Péndì)
• 漢中盆地／汉中盆地
• 漏盆 (lòupén)
• 澡盆 (zǎopén)
• 火盆 (huǒpén)
• 火盆兒／火盆儿
• 炭盆 (tànpén)
• 烏盆計／乌盆计
• 牢盆
• 瓦盆
• 生花盆兒／生花盆儿
• 皖中盆地
• 盂蘭盆／盂兰盆 (yúlánpén)
• 盂蘭盆會／盂兰盆会 (Yúlánpénhuì)
• 盆下
• 盆傾甕倒／盆倾瓮倒
• 盆兒／盆儿 (pénr)
• 盆吊
• 盆地 (péndì)
• 盆堂 (péntáng)
• 盆子 (pénzi)
• 盆弔／盆吊
• 盆景 (pénjǐng)
• 盆栽 (pénzāi)
• 盆湯／盆汤 (péntāng)
• 盆腔 (pénqiāng)
• 盆花
• 盆菜 (péncài)
• 盥洗盆 (guànxǐpén)
• 籸盆
• 糝盆／糁盆
• 聚寶盆／聚宝盆 (jùbǎopén)
• 腳盆／脚盆 (jiǎopén)
• 臉盆／脸盆 (liǎnpén)
• 臨盆／临盆 (línpén)
• 臺北盆地／台北盆地
• 花盆 (huāpén)
• 花盆鼓 (huāpéngǔ)
• 莊子鼓盆／庄子鼓盆
• 蘭盆／兰盆
• 血盆
• 血盆大口
• 血盆經／血盆经
• 覆盆
• 覆盆之冤
• 覆盆難照／覆盆难照
• 迷你盆景
• 金盆洗手 (jīnpénxǐshǒu)
• 鋅盆／锌盆
• 鍋碗瓢盆／锅碗瓢盆 (guōwǎnpiáopén)
• 面糊盆
• 骨盆 (gǔpén)
• 骨盆腔
• 鼓盆 (gǔpén)
• 鼓盆之戚
• 鼓盆歌
• 鼓盆而歌

 

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (盆):

• → Japanese: 盆(ぼん) (bon)
• → Korean: 분(盆) (bun)
• → Vietnamese: bồn (盆)

Others:

• ⇒ Japanese: 盆(ぼに) (boni)

Japanese

Shinjitai	盆
Kyūjitai	盆󠄁 盆+󠄁? (Adobe-Japan1)
	盆󠄃 盆+󠄃? (Hanyo-Denshi) (Moji_Joho)
The displayed kanji may be different from the image due to your environment. See here for details.

Kanji

盆

(Jōyō kanji)

Readings

• Go-on: ぼん (bon, Jōyō)^{←ぼん (bon, historical)}
• Kan-on: ほん (hon)^{←ほん (fon, historical)}
• Kun: はち (hachi, 盆)、ほとぎ (hotogi, 盆)

Compounds

Compounds

• 盆(ぼん)市(いち) (bon'ichi)
• 盆(ぼん)溢(いつ) (bon'itsu)
• 盆(ぼん)盂(う) (bon'u)
• 盆(ぼん)雨(う) (bon'u)
• 盆(ぼん)唄(うた) (bon'uta)
• 盆(ぼん)会(え) (bon'e)
• 盆(ぼん)絵(え) (bon'e)
• 盆(ぼん)罌(おう) (bon'ō)
• 盆(ぼん)甕(おう) (bon'ō)
• 盆(ぼん)罋(おう) (bon'ō)
• 盆(ぼん)下(か) (bonka)
• 盆(ぼん)画(が) (bonga)
• 盆(ぼん)釜(がま) (bongama)
• 盆(ぼん)玩(がん) (bongan)
• 盆(ぼん)菊(きく) (bonkiku)
• 盆(ぼん)供(く) (bonku)
• 盆(ぼん)暗(くら) (bonkura)
• 盆(ぼん)景(けい) (bonkei)
• 盆(ぼん)鼓(こ) (bonko)
• 盆(ぼん)栽(さい) (bonsai)
• 盆(ぼん)笊(ざる) (bonzaru)
• 盆(ぼん)山(ざん) (bonzan)
• 盆(ぼん)水(すい) (bonsui)
• 盆(ぼん)石(せき) (bonseki)
• 盆(ぼん)点(だて) (bondate)
• 盆(ぼん)棚(だな) (bondana)
• 盆(ぼん)地(ち) (bonchi)
• 盆(ぼん)池(ち) (bonchi)
• 盆(ぼん)付(つき) (bontsuki)
• 盆(ぼん)梅(ばい) (bonbai)
• 盆(ぼん)花(ばな) (bonbana)
• 盆(ぼん)缻(ぷ) (bonpu)
• 盆(ぼん)覆(ぷく) (bonpuku)
• 盆(ぼん)舟(ぶね) (bonbune)
• 盆(ぼん)瓶(べい) (bonbei)
• 盆(ぼん)盆(ぼん) (bonbon)
• 盆(ぼん)路(みち) (bonmichi)
• 盆(ぼん)礼(れい) (bonrei)
• 盆(ぼん)蠡(れい) (bonrei)
• 盎盆
• 瓦(が)盆(ぼん) (gabon)
• 盥(かん)盆(ぼん) (kanbon)
• 玉盆
• 金盆
• 傾(けい)盆(ぼん) (keibon)
• 鼓(こ)盆(ぼん) (kobon)
• 叩盆
• 酒(しゅ)盆(ぼん) (shubon)
• 大盆
• 雕盆
• 氷盆
• 覆(ふく)盆(ぼん) (fukubon)
• 瓶(へい)盆(ぼん) (heibon)
• 翻(ほん)盆(ぼん) (honbon)
• 牢盆

Etymology 1

盆 (bon): a tray.

Kanji in this term
盆
ぼん Grade: S
goon

From Middle Chinese 盆 (MC bwon). Compare modern Mandarin 盆 (pén).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ぼん [bòń] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [bõ̞ɴ]

Noun

盆(ぼん) • (bon) 

1. a tray (for carrying e.g. dishes)
2. (archaic) a flat earthenware pot, bowl, or basin
3. short for 盆茣蓙(ぼんござ) (bon goza), a woven rush mat for rolling or throwing dice in gambling
4. a gambling den, a place where gambling happens
5. a gamble, a match, a contest
6. a household, a residence, a home (by extension from the sense of having one's own serving tray)
7. a place for a tryst
8. the circular area of a 回り舞台 (mawari butai, “revolving stage”) (from its resemblance to a round serving tray)

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 盆(ぼん)の窪(くぼ) (bon no kubo): the hollow of the nape of the neck
• 盆栽(ぼんさい) (bonsai): bonsai

Idioms

Idioms

• 覆水盆(ふくすいぼん)に返(かえ)らず (fukusui bon ni kaerazu): “spilt water does not return to the basin” → some things cannot be undone
• 盆(ぼん)を覆(くつがえ)す (bon o kutsugaesu): “to knock over the pots” → said of heavy rain; compare raining pitchforks and hammer handles, raining cats and dogs
• 盆(ぼん)を傾(かたむ)ける (bon o katamukeru): “to make the pots lean over” → said of heavy rain; compare raining pitchforks and hammer handles, raining cats and dogs
• 盆(ぼん)に載(の)せたる蟇(ひきがえる) (bon ni nosetaru hikigaeru): “a toad placed on a tray” → a metaphor for being at a loss and unable to proceed, much as a toad on a tray will slip about and be unable to get traction
• 塗(ぬ)り盆(ぼん)に載(の)せた蛙(かえる) (nuribon ni noseta kaeru): “a frog placed on a lacquered tray” → a metaphor for being at a loss and unable to proceed, much as a frog on a lacquered tray will slip about and be unable to get traction
• 塗(ぬ)り盆(ぼん)へ載(の)せた蟇蛙(ひきがえる) (nuribon e noseta hikigaeru): “a toad placed on a lacquered tray” → a metaphor for being at a loss and unable to proceed, much as a toad on a lacquered tray will slip about and be unable to get traction
• 盆(ぼん)を敷(し)く (bon o shiku): “to lay the mats” → to start gambling; to establish one's own household
• 盆(ぼん)をひく (bon o hiku): “to lay the mats” → to start gambling; to establish one's own household
• 盆(ぼん)を戴(いただ)きて天(てん)を望(のぞ)む (bon o itadakite ten o nozomu): “to look at the sky with a pot [or tray] on one's head” → a metaphor for two things that cannot be done at the same time, much as carrying a pot or tray on one's head would prevent one from looking up

Synonyms

Synonyms

• (tray): トレイ (torei), トレー (torē), お盆(ぼん) (obon)
• (pot): 鉢(はち) (hachi), 平瓮(ひらか) (hiraka)
• (dice mat): 盆(ぼん)ござ (bon goza)
• (gamling den): 賭場(とば) (toba)
• (a gamble): 博打(ばくち) (bakuchi)
• (a contest): 勝負(しょうぶ) (shōbu)
• (household): 家(いえ) (ie); 宿(やど) (yado); 住処(すみか) (sumika), 住家(すみか) (sumika)

Etymology 2

盆: Obon. Lighting the welcome beacons in Numazu, Shizuoka Prefecture.

Kanji in this term
盆
ぼん Grade: S
goon

Short for 盂蘭盆 (Urabon) or 盂蘭盆会 (Urabon'e), from Middle Chinese 盂蘭盆 (hju lan bwon) or 盂蘭盆會 (hju lan bwon hwaj^H) (compare modern Mandarin 盂蘭盆／盂兰盆 (yúlánpén) or 盂蘭盆會／盂兰盆会 (yúlánpénhuì)), a transcription of Pali ullumpana (“raising, helping”), present participle of Pali verb ullumpati (“to raise up, to help”).

A number of Japanese dictionaries state that this term derives from Sanskrit उल्लम्बन (ullambana), purportedly meaning “hanging upside-down” in reference to the souls of the dead being tortured in hell by being strung up by their feet. However, the Sanskrit word was sparsely, if at all, attested (Ashikaga, 1951); in addition, it would be the present participle of verb उल्लम्ब् (ullamb, “to hang”, intransitive), with no inherent “upside-down” meaning.

Moreover, neither the purported meaning of “hanging upside-down” nor the verifiable meaning of “hanging” match the semantics very well, given that the urabon ceremonies are about helping the dead, closer in meaning to the “helping” sense of the Pali verb. This suggests that explanations of the dead hanging upside-down in hell are more likely to be folk etymologies based on a mistaken connection to the Sanskrit verb, rather than a more direct semantic link to the Pali. Alternatively, Junjirō Takakusu (apud Ashikaga, 1951) propounded that the origin was in fact Pali ullumbana, a colloquial corruption of Pali ullumpana (“raising up; saving; helping”), and that the etymology was mistakenly attributed to Sanskrit.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ぼん [bóꜜǹ] (Atamadaka – [1])
• (Tokyo) ぼん [bòń] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [bõ̞ɴ]

Noun

盆(ぼん) • (bon) 

1. an offering or votive at Obon

Proper noun

盆(ぼん) • (Bon) 

1. the Obon or Bon Festival, an event with Buddhist roots, celebrated on July 15

Derived terms

Derived terms

• {{ja-r|1=盆踊り|2=^ぼん おどり}}, {{ja-r|1=盆踊|2=^ぼん ^おどり}}: a traditional dance performed at Obon

Idioms

Idioms

• 盆(ぼん)と正月(しょう)が一緒(つがいっしょ)に来(き)たよう (Bon to Shōgatsu ga issho ni kita yō): “as if Bon and New Years came together” → extremely busy; an overlap of multiple happy occasions
• 盆(ぼん)と正月(しょう)が一時(つがいっとき)に来(き)たよう (Bon to Shōgatsu ga ittoki ni kita yō): “as if Bon and New Years came at the same time” → extremely busy; an overlap of multiple happy occasions
• 盆(ぼん)の十六日(じゅうろくにち)は地獄(じごく)の釜(かま)の蓋(ふた)が開(あ)く (Bon no jūroku-nichi wa jigoku no kama no futa ga aku): “on the 16th day of Bon, the lids on the kettles of hell open up” → from a tradition that the 16th day of July (the day just after Obon) is a day of rest and relative peace for the souls of the damned, when the demons of hell temporarily let people off the hook, and employers in this world would give their employees a day off
• 盆過(ぼんす)ぎての鯖商(さばあきな)い (Bon sugite no saba akinai): “the mackerel business after Bon has finished” → a metaphor for something past its prime, from the way that grilled mackerel was often given as a gift food item or as an offering during Obon
• 盆過(ぼんす)ぎての蓮(はす)の葉(は) (Bon sugite no hasu no ha): “a lotus leaf after Bon has finished” → a metaphor for something past its prime, from the way that lotus leaves would often be used in offerings during Obon
• 盆過(ぼんす)ぎての蓮(はす)の花(はな) (Bon sugite no hasu no hana): “a lotus blossom after Bon has finished” → a metaphor for something past its prime, from the way that lotus flowers would often be used in offerings during Obon
• 盆三日(ぼんみっか)は嫁(よめ)と姑(しゅうとめ)が仲(なか)よくなる (Bon mikka wa yome to shūtome ga nakayoku naru): “brides and mothers-in-law (can) get along for the three days of Bon” → from how family and other guests come to visit during Obon; compare the famous Benjamin Franklin quote, “After three days men grow weary of a wench, a guest, and weather rainy.”

Synonyms

Synonyms

• (festival): お盆(ぼん) (Obon)
• (festival): 盆祭(ぼんまつ)り (Bon matsuri), 盆祭(ぼんまつり) (Bon matsuri)
• (festival, more specifically the Buddhist ceremonies): 盂蘭盆(うらぼん) (Urabon), 盂蘭盆会(うらぼんえ) (Urabon'e)

See also

• List of festivals in Japan on Wiktionary
• List of festivals in Japan on Wikipedia

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
盆
ぼに Grade: S
irregular

Alteration from bon, where the final moraic n changed to ni. Compare the Japanese given name 紫苑 with similar development of reading Shioni from Shion.

Obsolete reading.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [bo̞ɲ̟i]

Proper noun

盆(ぼに) • (Boni) 

1. (obsolete) the Obon festival (see above)

Korean

Hanja

盆 • (bun) (hangeul 분)

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Vietnamese

Han character

盆: Hán Nôm readings: bồn, buồn, vồn, bòn, dồn

1. pot

References

• Thiều Chửu : Hán Việt Tự Điển Hà Nội 1942
• Trần Văn Chánh: Từ Điển Hán Việt NXB Trẻ, Ho Chi Minh Ville, 1999
• Vũ Văn Kính: Đại Tự Điển Chữ Nôm, NXB Văn Nghệ, Ho Chi Minh Ville, 1999