脸盆
liǎn pén · HSK 5
basin for washing hands and face
🪣 脸盆 = face (脸) + basin (盆)
Compound decomposition: 脸 (liǎn) means face, 盆 (pén) means basin or pot. Together: a basin for washing the face. 盆 also shows up in 花盆 (flowerpot) and 浴盆 (bathtub).
脸 — flesh radical 月 (肉) + 僉 qiān (phonetic)
脸 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The left side 月 is the 'flesh/body' radical (from 肉), signaling a body part. The right side 僉 supplies the sound. Originally 臉 meant the cheeks or area below the eyes; over time it broadened to mean the whole face. 脸 is the simplified form.
盆 — 分 (fēn, phonetic) + 皿 (mǐn, dish/vessel)
盆 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The bottom 皿 depicts an open vessel or dish and gives the meaning 'basin/bowl,' while the top 分 supplies the sound 'fēn,' which shifted to 'pén.' It originally referred to a wide, shallow earthenware basin used for washing or holding food.