算盤

See also: 算盘

Chinese

	regard as; to figure; to calculate regard as; to figure; to calculate; to compute	dish; tray; to build dish; tray; to build; to check; to examine; to transfer; (a measure word used for dishes of food or coils of wire); to coil
trad. (算盤)	算	盤
simp. (算盘)	算	盘
alternative forms	筭盤／筭盘
anagram	盤算／盘算

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): suànpán
(Zhuyin): ㄙㄨㄢˋ ㄆㄢˊ
(Chengdu, SP): suan⁴ pan²
(Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): суанпан (suanpan, III-I)
Cantonese
(Guangzhou, Jyutping): syun³ pun⁴, syun³ pun^4-2
(Taishan, Wiktionary): lhon¹ pon³
Gan (Wiktionary): son⁴ pon
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): son-phàn
(Meixian, Guangdong): son⁴ pan²
Jin (Wiktionary): suan³ pan¹
Min Dong (BUC): sáung-buàng
Min Nan
(Hokkien, POJ): sǹg-pôaⁿ / sùiⁿ-pôaⁿ
(Teochew, Peng'im): seng³ buan⁵
Wu (Wiktionary): soe boe (T2)
Xiang (Wiktionary): sonn⁴ bonn²

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: suànpán → suànpan (toneless final syllable variant)
  - Zhuyin: ㄙㄨㄢˋ ㄆㄢˊ → ㄙㄨㄢˋ ˙ㄆㄢ (toneless final syllable variant)
  - Tongyong Pinyin: suànpån
  - Wade–Giles: suan⁴-pʻan⁵
  - Yale: swàn-pan
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: suann.parn
  - Palladius: суаньпань (suanʹpanʹ)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /swän⁵¹ pʰän³⁵/ → /swän⁵¹ pʰän¹/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: suan⁴ pan²
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: suanpan
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /suan²¹³ pʰan²¹/
- (Dungan)
  - Cyrillic and Wiktionary: суанпан (suanpan, III-I)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /suæ̃⁴⁴ pʰæ̃²⁴/
  (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: syun³ pun⁴, syun³ pun^4-2
  - Yale: syun pùhn, syun pún
  - Cantonese Pinyin: syn³ pun⁴, syn³ pun^4-2
  - Guangdong Romanization: xun³ pun⁴, xun³ pun^4-2
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʃyːn³³ pʰuːn²¹/, /ʃyːn³³ pʰuːn²¹⁻³⁵/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: lhon¹ pon³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɬᵘɔn³³ pʰᵘɔn²²/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: son⁴ pon
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɵn³⁵ pʰɵn²/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: son-phàn
  - Hakka Romanization System: son panˇ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: son⁴ pan²
  - Sinological IPA: /son⁵⁵ pʰan¹¹/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: son⁴ pan²
  - Sinological IPA: /sɔn⁵³⁻⁵⁵ pʰan¹¹/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: suan³ pan¹
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /suæ̃⁴⁵ pʰxæ̃¹¹/
Min Dong
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: sáung-buàng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /souŋ²¹³⁻⁵⁵ ^(p-)muaŋ⁵³/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Lukang, Sanxia, Kinmen, Magong, Hsinchu, Taichung, Jinjiang, Philippines)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sǹg-pôaⁿ
  - Tâi-lô: sǹg-puânn
  - Phofsit Daibuun: sngrpvoaa
  - IPA (Lukang): /sŋ̍³¹⁻⁵³ puã²⁴/
  - IPA (Kinmen): /sŋ̍¹²⁻⁵³ puã²⁴/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /sŋ̍²¹⁻⁴¹ puã²³/
  - IPA (Taipei): /sŋ̍¹¹⁻⁵³ puã²⁴/
  - IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Philippines): /sŋ̍⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ puã²⁴/
  - IPA (Xiamen, Tainan): /sŋ̍²¹⁻⁵³ puã²⁴/
- (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, Yilan, Penang)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sùiⁿ-pôaⁿ
  - Tâi-lô: suìnn-puânn
  - Phofsit Daibuun: svuie'pvoaa
  - IPA (Penang): /suĩ²¹⁻³³ puã²³/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /suĩ²¹⁻⁵³ puã¹³/
  - IPA (Yilan): /suĩ²¹⁻⁵³ puã²⁴/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: seng³ buan⁵
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: sṳ̀ng puâⁿ
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɯŋ²¹³⁻⁵⁵ pũã⁵⁵/
Wu
- (Shanghainese)
  - Wiktionary: soe boe (T2)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sø³³ b̥ø⁴⁴/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: sonn⁴ bonn²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /sõ⁴⁵ põ¹³/

Noun

算盤

(mathematics) abacus
(figuratively) plan; plan of action; master plan

Synonyms

(abacus): 算子 (suànzǐ)

Dialectal synonyms of 算盤 (“abacus”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		算盤
Mandarin	Beijing	算盤
	Taiwan	算盤
	Ulanhot	算盤
	Tongliao	算盤
	Chifeng	算盤
	Bayanhot	算盤
	Hulunbuir (Hailar)	算盤
	Harbin	算盤兒
	Shenyang	算盤
	Yantai (Muping)	算盤子
	Jinan	算盤
	Luoyang	算盤
	Wanrong	盤子, 算盤
	Zhengzhou	算盤
	Xi'an	算盤
	Yinchuan	算盤
	Lanzhou	算盤
	Xining	算盤
	Ürümqi	算盤
	Wuhan	算盤
	Chengdu	算盤
	Guiyang	算盤
	Kunming	算盤
	Guilin	算盤
	Liuzhou	算盤
	Xuzhou	算盤
	Yangzhou	算盤
	Hefei	算盤
	Singapore	算盤
Cantonese	Guangzhou	算盤
	Hong Kong	算盤
	Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou)	算盤
	Foshan	算盤
	Foshan (Shunde)	算盤
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	算盤
	Zhuhai (Doumen, Shangheng Tanka)	算盤
	Taishan	算盤
	Kaiping (Chikan)	算盤
	Dongguan	算盤
	Shaoguan	算盤
	Yunfu	算盤
	Yangjiang	算盤
	Xinyi	算盤
	Lianjiang	算盤
	Nanning	算盤
	Wuzhou	算盤
	Yulin	算盤
	Hepu (Lianzhou)	算盤
	Beihai	算盤
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô)	算盤
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà)	算盤
	Fangchenggang (Fangcheng)	算盤
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	算盤
	Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)	算盤
	Móng Cái	算盤
Gan	Nanchang	算盤
	Lichuan	算盤
	Pingxiang	算盤
Hakka	Meixian	算盤
	Yudu	算盤子
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	算盤
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	算盤
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	算盤
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	算盤
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	算盤
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	算盤
	Hong Kong	算盤
	Luchuan (Daqiao)	算盤
	Senai (Huiyang)	算盤
	Singkawang	算盤
Huizhou	Jixi	算盤
Jin	Taiyuan	算盤
	Xinzhou	算盤子
	Taibus (Baochang)	算盤
	Linhe	算盤
	Jining	算盤
	Hohhot	算盤子
	Baotou	算盤
	Dongsheng	算盤
	Haibowan	算盤兒
Min Bei	Jian'ou	算盤
Min Dong	Fuzhou	算盤
Min Dong	Fuqing	算盤
Min Nan	Xiamen	算盤
	Quanzhou	算盤
	Zhangzhou	算盤
	Taipei	算盤
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	算盤
	Kaohsiung	算盤
	Yilan	算盤
	Changhua (Lukang)	算盤
	Taichung	算盤
	Tainan	算盤
	Hsinchu	算盤
	Kinmen	算盤
	Penghu (Magong)	算盤
	Penang (Hokkien)	算盤
	Manila (Hokkien)	算盤
	Pingnan (Shangdu)	算盤
	Chaozhou	算盤
	Haifeng	算盤
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	算盤
	Leizhou	數盤
	Haikou	算盤
Zhongshan Min	Sanxiang	算盤
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	算盤
Northern Pinghua	Guilin (Dahe)	算盤
Wu	Shanghai	算盤
	Shanghai (Chongming)	算盤
	Suzhou	算盤
	Danyang	算盤
	Hangzhou	算盤
	Ningbo	算盤
	Wenzhou	算盤
	Jinhua	算盤
Xiang	Changsha	算盤, 算盤子
	Loudi	算划子
	Shuangfeng	算盤子
	Quanzhou	算盤

Derived terms

如意算盤／如意算盘 (rúyìsuànpán)
小算盤／小算盘 (xiǎosuànpan)
打大算盤／打大算盘
打如意算盤／打如意算盘
打小算盤／打小算盘
打打算盤／打打算盘
打算盤／打算盘 (dǎ suànpán)
打細算盤／打细算盘
打鐵算盤／打铁算盘

撥算盤／拨算盘
沒算盤／没算盘
算盤子／算盘子 (suànpánzǐ)
算盤子兒／算盘子儿 (suànpánzǐr)
算盤珠／算盘珠 (suànpánzhū)
算盤珠子／算盘珠子
鐵算盤／铁算盘
鬼算盤／鬼算盘

Descendants

→ Bouyei: suansbaanz, suansbeanz
→ English: suanpan
→ Hlai: duixbhuas
→ Japanese: 算盤(そろばん) (soroban)
→ Malay: sempoa, sepua, cepua, suipoa
→ Mongolian: ᠰᠤᠸᠠᠨᠫᠠᠨ (suwanpan) / сампин (sampin)
→ Zhuang: suenqbuenz

Japanese

算盤 (soroban, sanban): an abacus.

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
算	盤
そろ Grade: 2	ばん Grade: S
irregular	goon

Alternative spellings
十露盤曾呂盤珠盤揃盤三羅盤 (possibly read as saraban)

Japanese sources consistently describe the abacus itself as being imported to Japan from China some time during the Muromachi period (1336–1573), although there is some disagreement as to whether this happened early in the period,[1] or late.[2][3][4][5]

First attested with the reading soroban in the 1595 trilingual Latin-Portuguese-Japanese dictionary Dictionarium Latino Lusitanicum, Ac Iaponicum, also 羅葡日対訳辞書 (Ra-Ho-Nichi Taiyaku Jisho, “Latin-Portuguese-Japanese Translation Dictionary”) based on work originally by Ambrogio Calepino,[6] corroborated in the Nippo Jisho of 1603.[2][7]

Japanese sources generally describe the soroban reading as a shift or corruption from the reading swanpan, the 唐音 (tōon, literally "Tang sound", referring to the Chinese-derived kanji readings that were borrowed into Japanese during the Tang dynasty or later) for the kanji spelling.[2][5] However, this is problematic on phonological grounds:

There is no known phonological process whereby swan would become soro in Japanese.
Middle Chinese swan consistently became Japanese san in all other known instances of the Chinese reading swan for any kanji character.
The character 算 appearing as the first character in 算盤 (soroban) is also read as san, and san is similarly listed as a synonym for soroban in the 1595 dictionary entry.[6]

An alternative, albeit speculative, explanation is that this soro- is some other morpheme unrelated to the Chinese. If so, this might be native root soro-, as seen in adverb そろそろ (sorosoro, “quietly and calmly”), そろり (sorori) and そろっと (sorotto, “quietly and smoothly; slidingly, glidingly”), verb 揃う (sorou, “to be in alignment; to be in order; to match, to go together”).

Notably, this term appears historically with the alternative kanji spelling 三羅盤. Given the expected Japanese readings of these characters, this may have been read as saraban. Root sara- -- and also root suru- -- also appear in various terms related to senses of smooth, gliding, sliding.

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) そろばん [sòróbáń] (Heiban – [0])[5][8][9]
IPA^(key): [so̞ɾo̞bã̠ɴ]

Noun

算(そろ)盤(ばん) • (soroban)

　[from 1595] (mathematics) an abacus
手(て)を算盤(そろばん)として六進法(ろくしんほう)で計算(けいさん)する
te o soroban to shite roku-shinhō de keisan suru
calculate in base-6 using one's hands as an abacus

Derived terms

算盤占(そろばんうらな)い (soroban'uranai)
算盤(そろばん)が合(あ)う (soroban ga au)
算盤(そろばん)が持(も)てない (soroban ga motenai)
算盤勘定(そろばんかんじょう) (sorobankanjō)
算盤木(そろばんぎ) (sorobangi)
算盤桟手(そろばんさで) (sorobansade)
算盤絞(そろばんしぼ)り (sorobanshibori)
算盤尽(そろばんず)く (sorobanzuku)
算盤責(そろばんぜ)め (sorobanzeme)
算盤高(そろばんだか)い (sorobandakai)
算盤玉(そろばんだま) (sorobandama)
算盤(そろばん)の玉(たま)はずれ (soroban no tama wa zure)
算盤(そろばん)を置(お)く (soroban o oku)
算盤(そろばん)を弾(はじ)く (soroban o hajiku)
算盤(そろばん)を枕(まくら)にする (soroban o makura ni suru)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
算	盤
さん Grade: 2	ばん Grade: S
on’yomi	goon

算盤 (sanban): a calculation grid as used in traditional Japanese mathematics.

Ultimately from Middle Chinese 算盤 (MC suɑn^X buɑn, “abacus”, literally “calculation + board, grid”). Compare modern Min Nan reading seng³ buan⁵, Mandarin suànpán.

Japanese sources consistently describe the abacus itself as being imported to Japan from China some time during the Muromachi period (1336–1573), although there is some disagreement as to whether this happened early in the period,[1] or late.[2][3][4][5]

First attested with the reading sanban to a text from 1688.[2]

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) さんばん [sàńbáń] (Heiban – [0])[5]
IPA^(key): [sã̠mbã̠ɴ]

Noun

算(さん)盤(ばん) • (sanban) ^{←さんばん (sanban)^?}

[from 1688] (mathematics) a kind of grid used in 和算 (wasan, “traditional Japanese mathematics”) to calculate higher-order functions
[from 1717] (mathematics) an abacus

References

“そろばん”, in ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典 (Buritanika Kokusai Dai Hyakka Jiten: Shō Kōmoku Jiten, “Encyclopædia Britannica International: Micropædia”)‎ (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Britannica Japan Co., Ltd., 2014
1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
1995, 大辞泉 (Daijisen) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
“算盤”, in 日本大百科全書：ニッポニカ (Nippon Dai Hyakka Zensho: Nipponica, “Encyclopedia Nipponica”)‎ (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 1984
2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
1595, Dictionarium Latino Lusitanicum, Ac Iaponicum (in Latin, Portuguese, and Japanese), 1979 reprint, Tōkyō: Bensei Publishing, text visible online in the Abáculus entry here
1603, 日葡辞書: パリ本 / Vocabulario da Lingoa de Iapam (Nippo Jisho: Paris edition / Vocabulary of the Language of Japan) (in Japanese and Portuguese), 1976 reprint, Tōkyō: Bensei Publishing, text visible online here, two entries above the highlighted term
1998, NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 (NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK, →ISBN
1997, 新明解国語辞典 (Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten), Fifth Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[B-1] “そろばん”, in ブリタニカ国際大百科事典小項目事典 (Buritanika Kokusai Dai Hyakka Jiten: Shō Kōmoku Jiten, “Encyclopædia Britannica International: Micropædia”)‎ (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Britannica Japan Co., Ltd., 2014

[KDJ-2] 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan

[DJS-3] 1995, 大辞泉 (Daijisen) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN

[N-4] “算盤”, in 日本大百科全書：ニッポニカ (Nippon Dai Hyakka Zensho: Nipponica, “Encyclopedia Nipponica”)‎ (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 1984

[DJR-5] 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[RHN-6] 1595, Dictionarium Latino Lusitanicum, Ac Iaponicum (in Latin, Portuguese, and Japanese), 1979 reprint, Tōkyō: Bensei Publishing, text visible online in the Abáculus entry here

[7] 1603, 日葡辞書: パリ本 / Vocabulario da Lingoa de Iapam (Nippo Jisho: Paris edition / Vocabulary of the Language of Japan) (in Japanese and Portuguese), 1976 reprint, Tōkyō: Bensei Publishing, text visible online here, two entries above the highlighted term

[NHK-8] 1998, NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 (NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK, →ISBN

[SMK5-9] 1997, 新明解国語辞典 (Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten), Fifth Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN