盆 (pén) is a Chinese character meaning “basin”. It is written from 分 (to divide; a share) and 皿 (dish; vessel), one above the other, and takes 9 strokes.
Build the character for “basin; pot”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
分 + 皿
Top–bottom structure
Structure from: 说文解字: 盆，盎也。从皿分聲（现代字形拆分对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：分 4 画 + 皿 5 画 = 9 画）
Memory aid
A vessel (皿) sitting under 分 — the part that only lends its sound. Picture a wide open dish waiting to be filled: that is a basin.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
9 strokes
In real words
- 花盆huā pénflowerpot盆 = pén
- 盆地pén dìbasin (geography)盆 = pén
- 盆栽pén zāipotted plant; bonsai盆 = pén
Go deeper
All readings
basin; pot
basin; tub; pot; a wide, shallow open container
口大底小、较浅的盛器，如花盆、脸盆；也指盆状的地形。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 花盆huā pénflowerpot盆 = pén
- 盆地pén dìbasin (geography)盆 = pén
- 盆栽pén zāipotted plant; bonsai盆 = pén
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 盆 mean?
盆 (pén) means basin; tub; pot; a wide, shallow open container.
How do you pronounce 盆?
It is pronounced pén.
What parts is 盆 made of?
分 (to divide; a share) and 皿 (dish; vessel), one above the other. The recorded source is: 说文解字: 盆，盎也。从皿分聲（现代字形拆分对照 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：分 4 画 + 皿 5 画 = 9 画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 盆 have?
9. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 盆?
皿. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 盆?
Common ones are 花盆 and 盆地. The reading of 盆 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.