Definitions

sāo to scratch; old variant of 騷|骚[sāo]

Etymology

To scratch  a flea bite  also provides the pronunciation

About

The character "搔" is structured with the hand radical (扌) alongside the phonetic component "蚤", which historically indicated a pronunciation similar to "sao" while contributing to its association with small, irritating entities like fleas. Its primary meaning has always been the physical action of scratching with the fingers, specifically to alleviate an itch. Over centuries, this central meaning remained dominant, though the character was occasionally employed in literary contexts to convey a sense of disturbance or disarray, a semantic extension that did not alter its fundamental definition. The consistent use of the hand radical reinforced the character's connection to manual activity, while the phonetic element provided a stable link to its spoken form.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他正在痒。

Tā zhèngzài sāo yǎng.

He is scratching an itch.

小狗在耳朵。

Xiǎo gǒu zài sāo ěrduo.

The puppy is scratching its ear.

发痒的腿。

Wǒ sāo le sāo fāyǎng de tuǐ.

I scratched my itchy leg.

不要抓那个疙瘩。

Bùyào sāozhuā nàge gēda.

Don't scratch that pimple.

着头想不出答案。

Tā sāo zhe tóu xiǎng bù chū dá'àn.

He scratched his head, unable to think of the answer.

蚊子包让我一直想

Wénzi bāo ràng wǒ yìzhí xiǎng sāo.

The mosquito bite makes me want to scratch constantly.

她用梳子头皮。

Tā yòng shūzi sāo le sāo tóupí.

She scratched her scalp with a comb.

医生建议不要过度抓皮肤。

Yīshēng jiànyì bùyào guòdù sāozhuā pífū.

The doctor advised against excessive scratching of the skin.