撒布 (sǎ bù) — to scatter, to sprinkle (seeds, liquid, powder, etc.)

Definition

撒布 (sā) is the formal/literary verb meaning 'to scatter / sprinkle' seeds, liquid, or powder over a surface. In everyday speech the same idea is usually expressed by separate verbs like 撒, 洒, or 撒播; 撒布 itself reads as written or technical.

verb
to scatterto sprinkle (seeds, liquid, powder, etc.)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 撒布。
    Nóng mín zài tián yě lǐ sǎ bù zhǒng zi.
    Farmers scatter seeds in the field.
  • 撒布。
    Tā bǎ xiāng shuǐ sǎ bù zài shēn shàng.
    She sprinkled perfume on herself.
  • 撒布。
    Fēng bǎ huā bàn sǎ bù le yí dì.
    The wind scattered petals all over the ground.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

撒sāscatter
布bùspread

撒 means to scatter, and 布 means to spread out; together they describe distributing seeds or powder over a surface.

Characters in this word

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 →

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
巾巾jīnkerchief
Sound part声符shēngfú
父
父fù布bù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

布 pairs 巾, a kerchief, with 父 as a sound part.

Open 布 →

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