<p>盘 here is a special usage.  It is a measure word for a game of board games especially traditional ones such as 象棋 围棋，and in this context, refers to the scheme that you lay out in the beginning of the game.  The political power game is of the same principles: through your planning and political appointments, you build up your scheme of the game.  Notice that it emphasized the early stage of Trump's administration.  核心盘 obviously refers to his close aids, advisors, and political strategists.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-30T21:34:43.030Z
If you read the question carefully, you'll realize 核心盘 refers to a person's political base, which is the people who will be voting for him/her. These are definitely NOT the aides, advisors and strategists.
monalisa
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-30T22:52:56.880Z
Very good point.  Thanks.
James Liu 刘老师
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-30T09:40:08.953Z
2020-09-30T09:40:08.953Z
James Liu 刘老师
<p>I think 盘 here refers to 地盘.  地盘 is <em><strong>territory under one's control</strong></em>.</p>
<p>政治核心盘: <em><strong>core political territory</strong></em>. (just to explain, not sure if it's correct English).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-30T13:50:44.617Z
2020-09-30T13:50:44.617Z
dan
<blockquote>
<p>《纽约时报》的文章说，他们获得的相关财务文件和法律文件，提供了迄今为止特朗普商业帝国最详细的资料。特朗普凭借在电视真人秀节目《学徒》中的出色表现塑造了自己“亿万富翁”的形象，并从《学徒》中挣得4.27亿美元。<strong>这一形象帮助他入主白宫，并巩固了自己的政治核心盘</strong>。但是，现在公开的文件对他的财务状况提供了一幅扭曲的画面。例如，2018年特朗普披露自己“至少赚了4.349亿美元”，而税务记录却提供了一个完全不同的结果：4740万美元的亏损。<br />
<sub><a href="http://www.fx361.com/page/2020/0929/7061501.shtml" rel="nofollow noreferrer">纳税风波冲击特朗普选情</a>，环球时报，2020年09月29日</sub></p>
</blockquote>
<p>The above article discusses the recent reveal of details of US president Trump's tax return by the New York Times, which is at odds with his image as a successful businessman.  As I understand, the sentence in bold means:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>这一形象帮助他入主白宫，并巩固了自己的<strong>政治核心盘</strong>。<br />
This persona helped him enter the White House, and consolidate his <strong>political base</strong>.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>What I don't understand is why 政治核心盘 seems to mean &quot;political base&quot; (or otherwise translated &quot;<a href="http://youdao.com/w/%E6%94%BF%E6%B2%BB%E6%A0%B8%E5%BF%83%E7%9B%98" rel="nofollow noreferrer">political core</a>&quot;).  We have <a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E6%94%BF%E6%B2%BB" rel="nofollow noreferrer">政治</a> = &quot;political&quot;, <a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E6%A0%B8%E5%BF%83" rel="nofollow noreferrer">核心</a> = &quot;core&quot;, and <a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E7%9B%98" rel="nofollow noreferrer">盘</a> = &quot;plate&quot;, among a bunch of other things:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>plate / dish / tray / board / hard drive (computing) / to build / to coil / to check / to examine / to transfer (property) / to make over / classifier for food: dish, helping / to coil / classifier for coils of wire / classifier for games of chess</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>Question</strong>: Why does 政治核心盘 seem to mean &quot;political base&quot;?</p>
<p>It seems like 盘 here means something not listed above (or maybe something metaphorical).</p>

<meaning>
Why does 政治核心盘 (lit. "political core plate") seem to mean "political base"?
# Why does 政治核心盘 (lit. "political core plate") seem to mean "political base"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-09-30)

> 《纽约时报》的文章说，他们获得的相关财务文件和法律文件，提供了迄今为止特朗普商业帝国最详细的资料。特朗普凭借在电视真人秀节目《学徒》中的出色表现塑造了自己“亿万富翁”的形象，并从《学徒》中挣得4.27亿美元。**这一形象帮助他入主白宫，并巩固了自己的政治核心盘**。但是，现在公开的文件对他的财务状况提供了一幅扭曲的画面。例如，2018年特朗普披露自己“至少赚了4.349亿美元”，而税务记录却提供了一个完全不同的结果：4740万美元的亏损。  
> [纳税风波冲击特朗普选情](http://www.fx361.com/page/2020/0929/7061501.shtml)，环球时报，2020年09月29日

The above article discusses the recent reveal of details of US president Trump's tax return by the New York Times, which is at odds with his image as a successful businessman. As I understand, the sentence in bold means:

> 这一形象帮助他入主白宫，并巩固了自己的**政治核心盘**。  
> This persona helped him enter the White House, and consolidate his **political base**.

What I don't understand is why 政治核心盘 seems to mean "political base" (or otherwise translated "[political core](http://youdao.com/w/%E6%94%BF%E6%B2%BB%E6%A0%B8%E5%BF%83%E7%9B%98)"). We have [政治](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E6%94%BF%E6%B2%BB) = "political", [核心](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E6%A0%B8%E5%BF%83) = "core", and [盘](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E7%9B%98) = "plate", among a bunch of other things:

> plate / dish / tray / board / hard drive (computing) / to build / to coil / to check / to examine / to transfer (property) / to make over / classifier for food: dish, helping / to coil / classifier for coils of wire / classifier for games of chess

**Question**: Why does 政治核心盘 seem to mean "political base"?

It seems like 盘 here means something not listed above (or maybe something metaphorical).

**Tags:** meaning


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2020-09-30. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

I think 盘 here refers to 地盘. 地盘 is ***territory under one's control***.

政治核心盘: ***core political territory***. (just to explain, not sure if it's correct English).


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### Answer by username_1 on 2020-09-30. Score: 1

盘 here is a special usage. It is a measure word for a game of board games especially traditional ones such as 象棋 围棋，and in this context, refers to the scheme that you lay out in the beginning of the game. The political power game is of the same principles: through your planning and political appointments, you build up your scheme of the game. Notice that it emphasized the early stage of Trump's administration. 核心盘 obviously refers to his close aids, advisors, and political strategists.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: If you read the question carefully, you'll realize 核心盘 refers to a person's political base, which is the people who will be voting for him/her. These are definitely NOT the aides, advisors and strategists.  
> **username_1**: Very good point.  Thanks.  

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