砂 (shā) — sand, grit
Definition
noun
sandgrit
Measure word · 粒
Examples
- 砂。Zhè duī shā hěn xì.This pile of sand is very fine.
- 砂。Gōng dì shàng yǒu hěn duō shā.There is a lot of sand at the construction site.
- 砂。Zhè zhǒng shā kě yǐ yòng lái zuò bō li.This kind of sand can be used to make glass.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
砂 pairs 石 (stone) with 少, whose full form is 沙, as its sound part. It was first a variant of 沙, which showed sand along a riverbank.
Appears in
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.