noun HSK 5
Traditional 算盤
abacus · calculating frame
Meaning
An abacus is a traditional calculating tool with beads sliding on rods, used for arithmetic operations. In Chinese culture, the 算盘 has been used for thousands of years and remains a symbol of business, accounting, and mathematical skill.
Usage
While modern calculators have largely replaced the abacus in daily life, 算盘 is still taught in some schools and used by some shopkeepers. The word also appears in idioms and expressions related to calculation or scheming, such as 打算盘 (to calculate, to make plans). It's commonly associated with traditional commerce and finance.
Examples
- 01我爷爷以前开店的时候每天都用算盘算账。.When my grandfather ran his shop, he used an abacus to do the accounts every day.
- 02她心里打着小算盘，想怎么多赚点钱。, .She's scheming in her mind about how to earn more money.
Characters
Measure words
- 个一个算盘
- 把一把算盘
Common collocations
- 打算盘to use an abacus; to calculate; to scheme
- 拨算盘to manipulate abacus beads
- 算盘珠子abacus bead
Origin
The word literally means 'calculating plate' or 'counting tray,' describing the physical structure of the tool where beads are manipulated on a flat frame.