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飒 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
bleak; melancholy; the howl of the windz, 9 strokes, radical 风, Very Hard
valiantunknown, 9 strokes, radical 风, Very Hard
(sa4) T4
  1. 1bleak; melancholy; the howl of the wind
  2. 2valiant
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(䬃)(sa4)

The character 飒 (sà) conveys a sense of bleakness or melancholy, often associated with the sound of the wind howling. It can imply a feeling of solitude or desolation, and is sometimes used in literary contexts to evoke strong emotional imagery, particularly related to nature and the elements.

Strokes9RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese poetry, the sound and imagery of the wind are often used to express deep emotions, and 飒 captures this essence beautifully. It reflects traditional Chinese aesthetics where nature is intertwined with human feelings.

Memory Tip

Imagine a strong wind (the sound of 'sà') blowing through a desolate landscape, making a haunting howl. The character 飒, with its top component resembling a gust of wind, reflects this imagery of nature's power and emotional depth.

Meanings of 飒

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

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 飒

Simplified
Traditional
9Strokes
Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 飒

JasonAmy

Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 飒

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a strong wind (the sound of 'sà') blowing through a desolate landscape, making a haunting howl. The character 飒, with its top component resembling a gust of wind, reflects this imagery of nature's power and emotional depth.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 飒 with similar-sounding characters. It's typically used in literary or formal contexts, so avoid using it in casual conversation. Pay attention to the correct tone, as the meaning can change with incorrect pronunciation.

HSK Study Tips

Although 飒 is not included in HSK, it can be related to HSK vocabulary that describes nature or emotions. Students at this level should focus on understanding its emotional connotations and practicing its pronunciation.

Cultural Note

In Chinese poetry, the sound and imagery of the wind are often used to express deep emotions, and 飒 captures this essence beautifully. It reflects traditional Chinese aesthetics where nature is intertwined with human feelings.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 飒 with 颯 (sà), which has a similar sound but different connotations. For example, saying '我觉得很颯' instead of '我觉得很飒' can change the intended meaning significantly.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 飒

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Etymology of 飒

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

wind

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 飒?

Decomposition of 飒

IDS Structure⿰立风
Full Character
=
Li4
left
feng1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 飒?

Write 飒

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 飒

飒 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

他们听到的只有风吹过树梢的____飒声。

All they heard was the wind whispering through the treetops.

Example Sentences for 飒 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他们听到的只有风吹过树梢的飒飒声。

tā mén tīng dào de zhī yǒu fēng chuī guò shù shāo de sà sà shēng。

All they heard was the wind whispering through the treetops.

Cultural Notes for 飒

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese poetry, the sound and imagery of the wind are often used to express deep emotions, and 飒 captures this essence beautifully. It reflects traditional Chinese aesthetics where nature is intertwined with human feelings.

Word Family of 飒

Words Containing This Character4
飒飒soughing颯颯
valiant
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

Compound Meaning

What does 飒飒 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 飒

It mainly refers to a bleak or melancholy feeling and can also describe the sound of the wind.