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煞 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
煞shādemon, fiend; baleful, noxiousv, 13 strokes, radical 灬, rank #11154, Very Hard
煞shāto terminateunknown, 13 strokes, radical 灬, rank #11154, Very Hard
煞shāto cut shortunknown, 13 strokes, radical 灬, rank #11154, Very Hard
煞shāto bring to a stopunknown, 13 strokes, radical 灬, rank #11154, Very Hard
煞shāveryunknown, 13 strokes, radical 灬, rank #11154, Very Hard
煞shāto squeezeunknown, 13 strokes, radical 灬, rank #11154, Very Hard
煞shā(Tw) SARS (loanword)unknown, 13 strokes, radical 灬, rank #11154, Very Hard
煞shāto tightenunknown, 13 strokes, radical 灬, rank #11154, Very Hard
煞shāto damageunknown, 13 strokes, radical 灬, rank #11154, Very Hard
煞shàdemon, fiend; baleful, noxiousv, 13 strokes, radical 灬, rank #11154, Very Hard
煞shàto terminateunknown, 13 strokes, radical 灬, rank #11154, Very Hard
煞shàto cut shortunknown, 13 strokes, radical 灬, rank #11154, Very Hard
煞shàto bring to a stopunknown, 13 strokes, radical 灬, rank #11154, Very Hard
煞shàveryunknown, 13 strokes, radical 灬, rank #11154, Very Hard
煞shàto squeezeunknown, 13 strokes, radical 灬, rank #11154, Very Hard
煞shà(Tw) SARS (loanword)unknown, 13 strokes, radical 灬, rank #11154, Very Hard
煞shàto tightenunknown, 13 strokes, radical 灬, rank #11154, Very Hard
煞shàto damageunknown, 13 strokes, radical 灬, rank #11154, Very Hard
shā(sha1)sha
primary
 T1
  1. 1demon, fiend; baleful, noxious
  2. 2to terminate
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

煞shā(sha1)

The character 煞 (shā) primarily refers to something malevolent or harmful, such as a demon or fiend. It can also describe actions like terminating or cutting short, conveying a sense of damage or constraint in various contexts. In Taiwanese Mandarin, it is a slang term for SARS, showcasing its diverse usage.

Strokes13Radical灬Frequency#11154DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese culture, demons and malevolent spirits are significant in folklore, often representing fears and moral lessons. The use of 煞 reflects the cultural importance of understanding evil and its consequences.

Memory tip

Imagine a fierce demon (煞) squeezing the life out of its victims, symbolizing its noxious nature. The character's left part resembles a fire (火), hinting at its baleful essence, while the right part suggests a cutting action, reinforcing the idea of termination.

Meanings of 煞

shā(sha1)
primary
1demon, fiend; baleful, noxious
2to terminate
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 煞

煞Simplified
13Strokes
灬Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 煞

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Podcast: 煞

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AI study notes for 煞

Quick Contrast

杀 (shā, to kill) — use 煞 for a broader sense of harm or malevolence, while 杀 is specifically about the act of killing.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 煞 with 殺 (shā), which means 'to kill.' Be mindful of the context; 煞 is more about harm and malice rather than direct killing. It is informal and might not be suitable for formal writing.

HSK Study Tips

Although not part of the HSK curriculum, understanding 煞 can enhance vocabulary related to negative emotions or harmful actions. Focus on its pronunciation and context to differentiate it from similar-sounding words.

Common Mistakes

Many learners mistakenly use 煞 interchangeably with 殺, thinking they mean the same thing. Remember, 煞 has a broader meaning related to harm and malice, while 殺 specifically means 'to kill.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 煞

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Etymology of 煞

Learn more about character formation (六书)

Decomposition of 煞

IDS Structure⿱⿰刍攵灬
煞Full character
=
刍chu2
left
攵pu1
right
灬huo3
Exercise 1 of 3

Parts

Which of these is part of 煞?

How to say demon, fiend; baleful, noxious in Chinese

“demon, fiend; baleful, noxious” in Chinese is煞shā

The character 煞 (shā) primarily refers to something malevolent or harmful, such as a demon or fiend. It can also describe actions like terminating or cutting short, conveying a sense of damage or constraint in various contexts. In Taiwanese Mandarin, it is a slang term for SARS, showcasing its diverse usage.

When to use 煞

Learners often confuse 煞 with 殺 (shā), which means 'to kill.' Be mindful of the context; 煞 is more about harm and malice rather than direct killing. It is informal and might not be suitable for formal writing.

煞 or something close to it

杀 (shā, to kill) — use 煞 for a broader sense of harm or malevolence, while 杀 is specifically about the act of killing.

What learners get wrong

Many learners mistakenly use 煞 interchangeably with 殺, thinking they mean the same thing. Remember, 煞 has a broader meaning related to harm and malice, while 殺 specifically means 'to kill.'

Write 煞

煞

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

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Grammar patterns of 煞

煞 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 9 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 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

他一看到夏普浸满鲜血的制服，脸色顿时变得____白。

His face blanched as he looked at Sharpe's blood-drenched uniform.

Example sentences for 煞 (4)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他一看到夏普浸满鲜血的制服，脸色顿时变得煞白。

tā yī kàndào xià pǔ jìn mǎn xiānxuè de zhìfú， liǎnsè dùnshí biàn de shā bái。

His face blanched as he looked at Sharpe's blood-drenched uniform.
2
“看在上帝的份上，”迈克尔煞有介事地说，“不管你做什么，千万别低头。”

“ kàn zài shàngdì de fèn shàng，” mài kè ěr shā yǒu jiè shì dì shuō，“ bùguǎn nǐ zuò shénme， qiānwàn bié dītóu。”

"For God's sake," Michael said melodramatically, "Whatever you do, don't look down."
3
乔克的脸突然变得煞白。

qiáo kè de liǎn tūrán biàn de shā bái。

Jock's face had been suddenly drained of all colour.
4
她的脸变得煞白。

tā de liǎn biàn de shā bái。

Her face became a chalky white.

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Word Family of 煞

Words containing this character16
煞shāto terminate
煞风景to be an eyesore煞風景
煞车to brake (when driving)煞車
煞费苦心at the cost of a lot of effort煞費苦心
凶神恶煞fiends (idiom); devils and monsters兇神惡煞
煞白deathly white
抹煞to erase
煞笔to stop one's pen煞筆
大煞风景to dampen spirits大煞風景
煞有介事to make a show of being very much in earnest (idiom)
煞气baleful look煞氣
煞神demon
凶煞demon兇煞
煞住to brake
恶煞demon惡煞
煞尾to finish off
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 煞

What does 煞风景 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 煞

It is pronounced as 'shā' with a high-level tone.

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