Learn in the textbookPointing and Manual Input Devices
DefinitionA pen tablet (ペンタブレット) inputs the position of the pen tip as you trace over a flat input surface with a dedicated pen.
ExplanationBecause it reads the pen-tip position continuously, the path you trace appears directly as a line, which suits drawing illustrations and design drawings and entering handwriting. Some models also read pen pressure, meaning how hard the tip is pressed, and reflect it in line thickness and darkness.
AnalogyA sketchbook that swaps the paper for a pad and the pencil for a dedicated pen.
Memory hookA "tablet" was originally a stone or board for inscribing text. Remember it by that origin: a tool for writing on a board.