撒旦 (Sā dàn) — Satan (the devil in Christianity and Judaism)

Definition

noun

Satan (the devil in Christianity and Judaism)

，撒旦。
Zài jī dū jiào zhōng, Sā dàn shì xié è de xiàng zhēng.
In Christianity, Satan is a symbol of evil.
撒旦。
Hěn duō rén rèn wéi Sā dàn dài biǎo yòu huò.
Many people think Satan represents temptation.
撒旦。
Zhè bù diàn yǐng jiǎng shù le yí gè bèi Sā dàn fù shēn de rén.
This movie tells the story of a person possessed by Satan.

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.

扌散撒

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

散

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.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

丁

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

旦 combines 日 (sun/day) with 丁 as a sound part; the story about the sun rising over a line is not the original explanation.

Appears in