sampan

/ˈsæm.pæn/ Chinese Origin Transport

Original Word

三板

Cantonese (sāam báan)

Entered English

17th century

First recorded usage in English

The Story Behind "sampan"

From Cantonese 'sāam báan' (三板), literally 'three planks', referring to the simple construction of these flat-bottomed wooden boats used in East Asian waters.

Example Usage

"Fishermen used sampans to navigate the shallow coastal waters."

All Chinese Loanwords Look Up in Dictionary

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