Definitions

(noun) Bodhisattva

Etymology

Simplified form of . Used in transliterations of Sanskrit words, such as "Bodhisattva" ().

About

The character "萨" is the simplified form of "薩", a construction that merges the grass radical with a phonetic component historically associated with characters like "薛", highlighting its inherent purpose as a vehicle for sound transcription rather than possessing a concrete meaning. Its initial utility emerged within the context of translating Buddhist scriptures, where it served to approximate Sanskrit phonemes in words such as "bodhisattva", a function that paved the way for its broader employment in absorbing other foreign terms and names over time. The traditional character's structure, with its radical offering a vague connection to plant life, never fostered a strong independent semantic value, which allowed it to remain fundamentally a tool for phonetic borrowing. This consistent transliterative role has endured, with the character adapting to linguistic needs across periods while its graphical representation shifted from the more intricate traditional form to its current simplified iteration.

Example Sentences Hide

是个美丽的城市。

Lā sà shì gè měi lì de chéng shì.

Lhasa is a beautiful city.

他喜欢吹克斯。

Tā xǐ huān chuī sà kè sī.

He likes playing the saxophone.

满是一种宗教。

Sà mǎn shì yī zhǒng zōng jiào.

Shamanism is a religion.

我喜欢吃其马。

Wǒ xǐ huān chī sà qí mǎ.

I like eating saqima.

的风景非常壮观。

Lā sà de fēng jǐng fēi cháng zhuàng guān.

The scenery in Lhasa is very spectacular.

省是加拿大的一个省份。

Sà shěng shì Jiā ná dà de yī gè shěng fèn.

Saskatchewan is a province in Canada.

克斯的音色很优美。

Sà kè sī de yīn sè hěn yōu měi.

The timbre of the saxophone is very beautiful.

满教在古代北方民族中很流行。

Sà mǎn jiào zài gǔ dài běi fāng mín zú zhōng hěn liú xíng.

Shamanism was popular among ancient northern ethnic groups.