哈撒 (hā sā) — (dialectal) to shake; to swing

Definition

A dialectal verb meaning 'to shake' or 'to swing', typically of a rope, branch, or other flexible object. The AABB-style reduplication ∼来∼去 (shaking back and forth) is a signature pattern of this word.

verb
(dialectal) to shaketo swing

Examples

  • 哈撒。
    Tā bǎ shéng zi hā sā le jǐ xià.
    He shook the rope a few times.
  • ，哈撒哈撒。
    Fēng tài dà, shù zhī bèi chuī dé hā sā lái hā sā qù.
    The wind is so strong that the branches are swinging back and forth.
  • 哈撒，。
    Bié hā sā zhuō zi, shàng miàn de bēi zi huì dǎo.
    Don't shake the table, the cups on it will fall.

Origin

Single-morpheme word
构词法gòucífǎ
联绵liánmiánBound pair

Two characters that only ever appear together, spelling one ancient two-syllable word.

哈hā
撒sā

“哈” and “撒” together form a dialectal verb for shake or swing; the characters do not carry separate meanings here.

Sound-only characters

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
合
合hé哈hā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

哈 uses 口 (mouth) to show a mouth-related idea, and 合 as a sound part. The shape of 合 may look like two open mouths, but that is likely by chance.

Open 哈 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
散
散sàn撒sǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

撒 combines 扌 (hand) with 散, which gives the sound; the hand part shows scattering with the hand.

Open 撒 →

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