to pour, to spill; to scatter, to shed; to wipe away
HSK 5, v, 9 strokes, radical 氵, rank #4929, Hard
sǎ(sa3) T3
1to sprinkle
2to spray
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March 24, 2026
洒(灑)sǎ(sa3)
The character 洒 (sǎ) primarily means to sprinkle, spray, or spill a liquid. It can be used in various contexts, such as watering plants, applying cleaning solutions, or even shedding tears. The nuance often implies a gentle or scattered action rather than a forceful one.
Strokes9Radical氵Frequency#4929DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, sprinkling water during festivals symbolizes good luck and purification. It is common in celebrations such as the Water Splashing Festival among the Dai people.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person lightly sprinkling water (the radical 水, meaning water) on a garden, emphasizing the gentle action of sprinkling. The pronunciation 'sǎ' sounds like 'saw', which you can visualize as someone saw(ing) water out of a container in a delicate manner.
Meanings of 洒
sǎ(sa3)
1to sprinkle
2to spray
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 洒
洒Simplified
灑Traditional
9Strokes
氵Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#4929Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 洒
Podcast: 洒
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AI Study Notes for 洒
Quick Contrast
撒 (sā) is used for throwing or scattering something with a more forceful action, while 洒 (sǎ) emphasizes a gentle sprinkling or spraying of liquid.
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include using the wrong tone, as 'sà' (to spill) has a different meaning. This character is more often found in informal contexts, so be mindful of the situation when using it. Phrases like '洒水' (sprinkle water) and '洒脱' (unfettered) are good collocations to remember.
HSK Study Tips
At HSK Level 5, students should focus on understanding the various contexts in which 洒 can be used, including both literal and metaphorical meanings. It connects well with other verbs related to actions involving liquids, such as 倒 (dào, to pour) and 撒 (sā, to scatter).
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse the tones and mistakenly use 'sà' instead of 'sǎ', which changes the meaning entirely. For example, saying '我洒水' (I sprinkle water) is correct, while saying '我撒水' (I spill water) could imply an unintended mess.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 洒
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Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 西 represents the sound. Simplified form of 灑.
1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
2The sound half西 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaywater
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 洒? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 洒?
Decomposition of 洒
IDS Structure⿰氵西
洒Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
西Xi1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 洒?
How to say to sprinkle in Chinese
“to sprinkle” in Chinese is洒sǎ
The character 洒 (sǎ) primarily means to sprinkle, spray, or spill a liquid. It can be used in various contexts, such as watering plants, applying cleaning solutions, or even shedding tears. The nuance often implies a gentle or scattered action rather than a forceful one.
When to use 洒
Common mistakes include using the wrong tone, as 'sà' (to spill) has a different meaning. This character is more often found in informal contexts, so be mindful of the situation when using it. Phrases like '洒水' (sprinkle water) and '洒脱' (unfettered) are good collocations to remember.
洒 or something close to it
撒 (sā) is used for throwing or scattering something with a more forceful action, while 洒 (sǎ) emphasizes a gentle sprinkling or spraying of liquid.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse the tones and mistakenly use 'sà' instead of 'sǎ', which changes the meaning entirely. For example, saying '我洒水' (I sprinkle water) is correct, while saying '我撒水' (I spill water) could imply an unintended mess.
Write 洒
洒
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Practice writing 洒 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 洒
洒 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 5 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
Complete the Sentence
他们的作品一如既往地引人入胜、气韵潇____、新颖别致，不会让你失望。
Their work has all the usual punch, panache and flair you'dexpect.
Example Sentences for 洒 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他们的作品一如既往地引人入胜、气韵潇洒、新颖别致，不会让你失望。
tā mén de zuò pǐn yī rú jì wǎng dì yǐn rén rù shèng、 、 qì yùn xiāo、 sǎ 、 xīn yǐng， bié zhì ， bù huì ràng。
Their work has all the usual punch, panache and flair you'dexpect.
2
职工对她洒脱的管理风格反应很好。
zhí gōng duì tā sǎ tuō de guǎn lǐ fēng gé fǎn yīng hěn hǎo。
Staff respond well to her unbuttoned style of management.
