板

Phono-semantic compound:

木 (wood, tree) – semantic, indicating the material.

反 (to turn, to return) – phonetic element, giving sound.

Originally referred to a flat, wide piece of wood cut from a tree, a plank. Later extended to mean any flat board-like object and, metaphorically, to “platforms” or “categories.”

칠판 (黑板) – blackboard

간판 (看板) – signboard

판자 (板子) – wooden plank

판금 (板金) – sheet metal

판권 (版權/板權) – publishing rights

In Chinese, 板 is also used as the simplified form of 闆 (merchant, boss, “Mr./Mrs. [so-and-so]”), especially in Taiwan for honorifics like 老闆 (boss, shop owner).

The core sense remains strongly tied to the image of something broad and flat.