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娑 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
suōto dance, to frolic; to lounge; to saunterns, 10 strokes, radical 女, rank #43569, Very Hard
suō(phonetic)unknown, 10 strokes, radical 女, rank #43569, Very Hard
suō(suo1) T1
  1. 1to dance, to frolic; to lounge; to saunter
  2. 2(phonetic)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
suō(suo1)

The character 娑 (suō) conveys the idea of dancing, frolicking, or sauntering leisurely. It is often associated with graceful movements and a carefree attitude, making it suitable for describing lighthearted activities. In literary contexts, it can evoke a sense of elegance and fluidity in motion.

Strokes10RadicalFrequency#43569DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, dance is often associated with celebrations and festivals, where movements embody joy and community spirit. The use of 娑 can evoke images of festive gatherings where people come together to dance and celebrate.

Memory Tip

Imagine a graceful dancer (the character's 'woman' radical 女) swaying softly as she dances, embodying the meaning of 娑. The sound 'suō' can be remembered with the image of her 'swaying' in a gentle breeze, emphasizing relaxation and elegance.

Meanings of 娑

suō(suo1)
1to dance, to frolic; to lounge; to saunter
2(phonetic)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 娑

Simplified
10Strokes
Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 娑

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AI Study Notes for 娑

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a graceful dancer (the character's 'woman' radical 女) swaying softly as she dances, embodying the meaning of 娑. The sound 'suō' can be remembered with the image of her 'swaying' in a gentle breeze, emphasizing relaxation and elegance.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 娑 with similar-sounding characters that may have different meanings or tones. This character is more poetic and is used in literary contexts rather than in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 婆娑 (pó suō), which describes a type of dance or movement.

HSK Study Tips

While 娑 is not in the HSK vocabulary lists, its connection to graceful movement can help learners associate it with related terms in other HSK levels. Focus on the radical 女 for understanding characters related to women and movement.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, dance is often associated with celebrations and festivals, where movements embody joy and community spirit. The use of 娑 can evoke images of festive gatherings where people come together to dance and celebrate.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 娑 with 婀 (ē), which also relates to movement but has a different nuance. A common mistake is using 娑 in a casual context, which might sound overly formal or poetic.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 娑

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Etymology of 娑

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

woman

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 娑?

Decomposition of 娑

IDS Structure⿱沙女
Full Character
=
Sha1
top
nü3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 娑?

Write 娑

Practice writing stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 娑

娑 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

树冠在微风中婆____摇曳。

The tops of the trees rippled in the breeze.

Example Sentences for 娑 (1)

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1
树冠在微风中婆娑摇曳。

shù guān zài wēi fēng zhōng pó suō yáo yè。

The tops of the trees rippled in the breeze.

Cultural Notes for 娑

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese culture, dance is often associated with celebrations and festivals, where movements embody joy and community spirit. The use of 娑 can evoke images of festive gatherings where people come together to dance and celebrate.

Word Family of 娑

Words Containing This Character3
suō(phonetic)
婆娑to swirl about
摩娑to stroke
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 娑 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 娑

The correct pronunciation is 'suō', with the first tone.