牌 pái — cards; game pieces; signboard; plate; tablet
路口立着一块指路牌。Lù kǒu lì zhe yí kuài zhǐ lù pái.A signpost stands at the intersection.
Common words: 牌子 (pái zi)、金牌 (jīn pái)、银牌 (yín pái)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "tablet"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "tablet", including 牌 (pái), 扁 (biǎn / piān). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "tablet" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 牌 (pái), 扁 (biǎn / piān) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span pái, biǎn, piān — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 牌 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 牌 páicards; game pieces; signboard; plate; tabletUseful words: 牌子, 金牌
- 扁 biǎn / piānflat; tablet; inscription; (surname); small boat; Polygonum aviculareUseful words: 看扁, 海扁
Common words for these 2 "tablet" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 牌 (pái) — so "tablet" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "tablet".
扁 biǎn / piān — flat; tablet; inscription; (surname); small boat; Polygonum aviculare
这个气球被压得扁扁的。Zhè ge qì qiú bèi yā de biǎn biǎn de.This balloon was pressed flat.
Common words: 看扁 (kàn biǎn)、海扁 (hǎi biǎn)、扁平 (biǎn píng)
All 2 characters
Open 牌、扁 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.