صَحْن
ṣaḥnmasculine
In Arabic, the word for plate is صَحْن (ṣaḥn). Wiktionary also lists طَبَق (ṭabaq) and طبق (ṭabaʔ).
Meaning: flat dish (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| صَحْن | ṣaḥn | masculine | |
| طَبَق | ṭabaq | masculine | |
| طبق | ṭabaʔ | /tˤa.baq/ /tˤibq/ |
Egyptian Arabic, masculine |
| صحن | ṣaḥn | Egyptian Arabic, masculine | |
| صَحَن | ṣaḥan | Hijazi Arabic, masculine |
The term refers to a flat dish.
Which one should you use?
The word ṣaḥn is frequently used to refer to a plate, but in many contexts, it can also imply a shallow bowl or dish. The word طَبَق is another way to refer to a plate.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, you can use طبق or صحن to mean a plate. In Hijazi Arabic, the form صَحَن is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
All provided forms for plate are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
ṣaḥn
Did you know?
- In many Arabic dialects, the word طَبَق is used to refer to a 'layer' or 'floor' of a building, as well as a plate.
- The root of صَحْن is so ancient that it connects directly to Ge'ez, an ancient language of Ethiopia, where it relates to words for pans and jars.
- The word طَبَق is not just a container for food, but its root can also relate to 'layering' or 'matching', reflecting the way items are stacked or placed on a dish.
Examples in context
- ماذا يوجد في صحن ياني؟What's on Yanni's plate?This sentence is useful for asking what food is located on a specific plate using صحن.Tatoeba #11979513 by dididodo, translation #9055961 by Amastan
- لحس زيري صحنه.Ziri licked his plate.This sentence is useful for describing the action of licking a plate using صحن.Tatoeba #11612956 by dididodo, translation #10222511 by Amastan
- أعطني الصحن، من فضلك.Please give me the plate.
- الصحون مكسورة.The plates are broken.
- يوجد على الصحن بعض البقع.There are some marks on the plate.
- أريد صَحْنًا من الأرز.urīdu ṣaḥnan min al-aruzz.I want a plate of rice.
Example conversation
A kitchen where Omar and Sara are preparing dinner.
- عمر Omarأين الصَّحْنُ الكبير يا سارة؟ayna aṣ-ṣaḥnu al-kabīru yā Sāra?Where is the large plate, Sara?
- سارة Saraهو في الخزانة.huwa fī al-khizāna.It is in the cupboard.
- عمر Omarهل وجدتِ صَحْنَ السلطة؟hal wajadti ṣaḥna as-salata?Did you find the salad plate?
- سارة Saraنعم، هو هنا.na'am, huwa hunā.Yes, it is here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “plate” translations and entries طبق, صحن, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries صحن, طبق, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
