洒

灑

sǎ

氵 + 西

HSK 2.0Level 5

HSK 3.0Level 5

Definitions

sǎ (verb) to sprinkle; to spray

sǎ (verb) to spill; to shed

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 西 represents the sound. Simplified form of 灑.

Semantic: 氵 Phonetic: 西

About

洒 is a phono-semantic compound: the water radical 氵 on the left supplies the meaning, and 西 (xī) on the right supplies the sound. It primarily means to sprinkle, spray, or spill liquid. This character is the simplified form of 灑, which originally paired the water radical with the phonetic 麗 (lì). While beginning strictly as a term for dispersing liquids like water or wine, the meaning gradually extended to depict a person's free and unconstrained demeanor. This broader sense appears especially in compounds that describe acting with natural grace or expressing a relaxed, untethered attitude toward life.

Etymology Hide

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他在花园里洒水。

Tā zài huāyuán lǐ sǎ shuǐ.

He is sprinkling water in the garden.

小朋友不小心洒了牛奶。

Xiǎopéngyǒu bù xiǎoxīn sǎ le niúnǎi.

The child accidentally spilled the milk.

我早上给植物洒水。

Wǒ zǎoshang gěi zhíwù sǎ shuǐ.

I water the plants in the morning.

他的性格很洒脱。

Tā de xìnggé hěn sǎtuō.

His personality is very free and easy.

工人正在喷洒农药。

Gōngrén zhèngzài pēnsǎ nóngyào.

The workers are spraying pesticide.

阳光洒在湖面上，闪闪发光。

Yángguāng sǎ zài húmiàn shàng, shǎnshǎn fāguāng.

Sunlight spills on the lake surface, sparkling.

她洒泪告别了家乡，去远方追求梦想。

Tā sǎ lèi gàobié le jiāxiāng, qù yuǎnfāng zhuīqiú mèngxiǎng.

She shed tears bidding farewell to her hometown and went afar to pursue her dreams.

这位艺术家用色彩潇洒地洒在画布上，创造出一幅杰作。

Zhè wèi yìshùjiā yòng sècǎi xiāosǎ de sǎ zài huàbù shàng, chuàngzào chū yī fú jiézuò.

This artist freely splashed colors onto the canvas, creating a masterpiece.

Related Characters

Component: 氵

Component: 西

洒