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颯 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
颯sàbleak; melancholy; the howl of the windzg, 14 strokes, radical 風
sà(sa4)sa T4
  1. 1bleak; melancholy; the howl of the wind
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March 24, 2026

颯sà(sa4)

The character 颯 (sà) describes a bleak or melancholic atmosphere, often associated with the sound of the wind howling. It is commonly used in literary contexts to evoke feelings of desolation or nostalgia, and can be employed in poetry to enhance the emotional landscape of a scene.

Strokes14Radical風
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese literature, the sound of the wind is often personified to reflect the inner feelings of characters, making 颯 a powerful word in conveying mood and atmosphere.

Memory tip

Imagine a cold, gusty wind that sweeps through a deserted landscape, making a 'sà' sound as it howls. The character 颯 features the radical for wind (风) on the right, hinting at its connection to the sound of the wind, while the left side resembles a person standing solitary, reflecting the feeling of melancholy.

Meanings of 颯

sà(sa4)
1bleak; melancholy; the howl of the wind
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 颯

颯Simplified
14Strokes
風Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 颯

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AI study notes for 颯

Usage Notes

This character is more commonly found in literary or poetic contexts rather than everyday conversation, so it might not be appropriate in casual discussions. Be cautious with its pronunciation; the tone is crucial, as mispronouncing it could change its meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Although 颯 is not in the HSK word list, it can be related to other words describing weather and emotions at higher levels. Students should focus on recognizing its usage in poetry and literature, as well as understanding its emotional connotations.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 颯 with similar-sounding characters that have different meanings. For example, saying 'sà' when referring to light or brightness (明) instead of using it to describe the wind's howl would be incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 颯

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Etymology of 颯

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

wind

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

Origin

颯 = 風 + 立. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 颯

IDS Structure⿰立風
颯Full character
=
立Li4
left
風feng1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 颯?

How to say bleak; melancholy; the howl of the wind in Chinese

“bleak; melancholy; the howl of the wind” in Chinese is颯sà

The character 颯 (sà) describes a bleak or melancholic atmosphere, often associated with the sound of the wind howling. It is commonly used in literary contexts to evoke feelings of desolation or nostalgia, and can be employed in poetry to enhance the emotional landscape of a scene.

When to use 颯

This character is more commonly found in literary or poetic contexts rather than everyday conversation, so it might not be appropriate in casual discussions. Be cautious with its pronunciation; the tone is crucial, as mispronouncing it could change its meaning.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 颯 with similar-sounding characters that have different meanings. For example, saying 'sà' when referring to light or brightness (明) instead of using it to describe the wind's howl would be incorrect.

Write 颯

颯

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Word Family of 颯

Words containing this character4
飒飒soughing颯颯
飒sàvaliant颯
英姿飒爽to carry oneself tall英姿颯爽
秋风飒飒the autumn wind is soughing (idiom)秋風颯颯
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 颯

What does 飒飒 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 颯

It means bleak or melancholy, and can also refer to the howl of the wind.

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