Pan-pan
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A radio call indicating a minor emergency requiring some assistance, or priority in handling, but not endangering the safety of the vessel or those aboard. uncountable
"It should be a relatively simple matter (particularly on a modern yacht) to teach almost anyone to heave-to, take the position from an electronic navigator, then make a PAN-PAN call on the radio (see below)."
- 2 A Japanese prostitute who catered to American GIs in post-WWII occupied Japan. historical
"In his recent overview of occupied Japan, John Dower poignantly describes the "pan-pan girls" who offended conservatives with their willingness to trade sexual favors for the Americans' gifts and money."
Example
More examples"It should be a relatively simple matter (particularly on a modern yacht) to teach almost anyone to heave-to, take the position from an electronic navigator, then make a PAN-PAN call on the radio (see below)."
Etymology
From French panne (“breakdown”), reduplicated.
From Japanese パンパン (panpan), an ellipsis of パンパンガール (panpangāru).
More for "pan-pan"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.