匾

biǎn
#3,494 most
frequent character
horizontal rectangular inscribed tablet hung over a door or on a wall

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

匾 combines 匚 box with 扁 biǎn, which means 'thin' here and also supplies the sound. Box plus thin gives the first sense 'flat and thin'. That grew to a shallow basket and then to a flat inscribed board. Read pián, it means a basket couch used in coffins.

Ask DeepSeek

Same Characters, Different Readings

匾pián
basket-couch in coffin

Your word lists

Sign in to add this word to your private lists.