[sam-pan] 
| any of various small boats of the Far East, as one propelled by a single scull over the stern and provided with a roofing of mats. |
| sam·pan (sām'pān') n. A flatbottom Asian skiff usually propelled by two oars. [Chinese (Cantonese) saam-paán, equivalent to Chinese (Mandarin) sān, three + b  n, board.] |
sampan
most common type of small boat in Chinese waters, constructed in a variety of designs. Some have sharp bows, and nearly all have large sterns, with the after portion of the gunwale and deck nearly always raised. Sampans are usually rigged for sailing, sometimes with two masts; otherwise they are rowed with large sweep-type oars. They are usually open or partly decked, with a shelter or cabin aft. In Japan, Hawaii, and Taiwan, a powered boat has been developed out of the traditional Japanese sampan, with a flat-bottomed midsection.
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