Meaning
板 fundamentally refers to a flat, rigid piece of material like a board, plank, or plate. It's used for wooden boards, metal plates, blackboards, and similar flat surfaces. As an adjective, it describes something stiff, rigid, or inflexible in manner or appearance.
Usage
板 appears in many compound words related to flat surfaces and boards. When describing people or expressions, 板着脸 (bǎn zhe liǎn) means to put on a stern face. It's commonly used in contexts involving construction materials, classroom equipment (blackboards), and musical rhythm (板 refers to the strong beat in traditional Chinese music).
Examples
- 01老师在黑板上写字。.The teacher writes characters on the blackboard.
- 02他的表情太板了，一点都不自然。, .His expression is too stiff, not natural at all.
Measure words
- 块一块木板
- 张一张板
Common collocations
- 板着脸to put on a stern face
- 一板一眼methodical, by the book
- 老板boss, owner
- 板子plank, board (colloquial)
Antonyms
Origin
The character combines 木 (wood) and 反 (reverse/return), originally depicting a flat piece of wood. The 反 component may suggest the splitting or flattening process of creating boards from logs.