How to Write 碟 (dié) — Meaning “Small plate / Dish”

Imagine a small plate (碟) made of stone (石) with a leaf (枼) painted on it. The word "die" sounds like dié, so think of a plate that is too small to hold a die (dice) — it holds only a leaf.

Write the left radical 石 first, then the right side 枼. In 枼, pay attention to the even spacing of the three horizontal strokes at the bottom. A common mistake is making the right side too narrow — keep it balanced and slightly wider than the left.

碟 (dié) means small plate, with right side 枼. 硝 (xiāo) means saltpeter, with right side 肖. 硪 (é) means a stone roller, with right side 我. Visually, 碟 has many horizontal lines on the right, while 硝 has a vertical hook and 硪 has a larger, more balanced right side.

碟 is commonly used for 碟子 (small plate or saucer) in dining, and in technology terms like 光碟 (CD) and 影碟 (video disc/DVD). In Chinese restaurants, small plates called 碟子 are used for dipping sauces or side dishes, making it a practical everyday character.

Common words containing 碟 include: 碟子 (dié zi) — Small plate / Saucer; 光碟 (guāng dié) — CD, optical disc; 影碟 (yǐng dié) — video disc; DVD.