bānpán

sort

Original meaning: 

tray

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "tray", now written as /. The current meaning is a phonetic loan. The original component was later corrupted to (boat).

Components
凡 sound,iconic component

  Sound Iconic component

fán

  

all

Pictograph of a tray. Later corrupted to .

殳 meaning component

  Meaning component

shū

  

weapon or tool

Depicts a hand holding a weapon or utensil.

Evolution

般 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
般 Bronze script Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Bronze script

Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
般 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
般 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
般 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

bān

sort, manner, kind, category; sort; kind; class; way; manner

 

pán

see 般樂|般乐[pán​lè]

Most common words with 般
Freq.
Word
Meaning

一般

same

sort

一般来说

generally speaking

般配

to suit

这般

like this

Component uses

Sound component in 5 characters (3 verified)