sampan
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of sampan
First recorded in 1610–20; from Chinese sān bǎn “three-plank (boat)”
Vocabulary lists containing sampan
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On a recent trip, a pair of small local sampan vessels pulled up to the Parnia, an Iranian cargo ship idling off the coast of southeastern Malaysia.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
He said military personnel had spotted another Chinese sampan crew poisoning waters near the shoal last month, and that samples later tested positive for cyanide.
From BBC ● Apr. 13, 2026
Philippine Navy spokesman Rear Adm Roy Vincent Trinidad said Filipino troops had seized 10 bottles of cyanide from sampan boats allegedly launched from Chinese fishing vessels in February, July and October last year.
From BBC ● Apr. 13, 2026
A short sampan ride takes visitors across an eddy of the Shan Pui River.
From New York Times ● Nov. 17, 2018
“I just left the baskets on the doorstep and ran. I ran all the way to the river and rented a sampan to take me across. Then I walked from the Bund.”
From "Homesick" by Jean Fritz
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