noun
cloud-shaped bronze gong; umpan
A flat, cloud-shaped bronze gong used in Zen Buddhist temples to signal meal times and other events.
禅寺では、食事の時間を知らせるために雲板を打ち鳴らす。
In Zen temples, they strike the umpan to signal mealtime.
Variant kanji spelling; 版 is sometimes used instead of 板.
From Chinese 雲板 (yúnbǎn), literally 'cloud board', referring to its shape.