散

㪚

sàn, sǎn

⺼ + 攵 + 龷

HSK 3.0Level 6

Definitions

sàn (verb) to scatter; to disperse; to break up; to dismiss

sǎn (adjective) scattered; loose; falling apart

sǎn (noun) powdered medicine

Etymology

Originally written as 𢽳, which depicted trees (林) being struck (攵) to make things fall off the tree and scatter. The character 斝 was sometimes confused with the character 散, and a corruption of it visually similar to 月 was added.

About

散 is built with the action radical 攵 ('strike') on the right, indicating physical force. The left side comes from a corruption of an earlier form 𢽳, which combined 林 ('trees') and 攵 to depict beating trees so things fall and scatter. Confusion with the character 斝 led to the addition of a component resembling 月, creating the modern left structure. This original image of striking trees to disperse material directly gives the character its core sense of scattering, breaking apart, and spreading out. From physical dispersion, the meaning extended to crowds dispersing, mist or smoke dissipating, and a state of looseness or disorganization.

Etymology Hide

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze Early Warring States (~400 BC)

Bronze Warring States (475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我们一起去散步吧。

Wǒmen yīqǐ qù sànbù ba.

Let's go for a walk together.

花儿在风中散开。

Huā ér zài fēng zhōng sàn kāi.

The flowers scatter in the wind.

他散发了许多传单。

Tā sànfāle xǔduō chuándān.

He distributed many leaflets.

周末我去公园散心。

Zhōumò wǒ qù gōngyuán sàn xīn.

On weekends, I go to the park to relax.

书页散落在地上。

Shū yè sànluò zài dìshàng.

The pages of the book are scattered on the ground.

这些糖果是散装的。

Zhèxiē tángguǒ shì sǎn zhuāng de.

These candies are sold loose.

我喜欢读散文。

Wǒ xǐhuān dú sǎnwén.

I like reading prose.

他的学习态度很散漫。

Tā de xuéxí tàidù hěn sǎnmàn.

His study attitude is very undisciplined.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: ⺼

Component: 攵

散