noun HSK 4
sand · granulated · hoarse
Meaning
沙 primarily means 'sand' and is one of the most common characters for referring to sand, sandy areas, or granular substances. It can also describe a hoarse or raspy quality, particularly of the voice.
Usage
Native speakers use 沙 in geographic terms (沙漠 desert, 沙滩 beach), everyday contexts (沙子 sand particles), and to describe voice quality (声音很沙 hoarse voice). It often combines with other characters to form compound words related to sand or granular textures.
Examples
- 01孩子们在海边玩沙子。.The children are playing with sand at the beach.
- 02他感冒了，声音有点沙哑。, .He has a cold and his voice is a bit hoarse.
Measure words
- 粒一粒沙
- 把一把沙
Common collocations
- 沙发sofa (loanword)
- 沙尘暴sandstorm
- 沙哑hoarse (voice)
- 沙土sandy soil
Origin
The character 沙 combines the water radical 氵(water) with 少 (few/little), originally suggesting small particles like sand found near water or fine granules.