散

• Pinyin: sàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 散 = upper component (separated fibres) + 攵 (action with hand) — the act of scattering or dispersing

Meaning

To scatter; to disperse; to break up. Describes things spreading apart or people going their separate ways.

Used for physical scattering of objects and for people parting after a gathering. Common in 散会 (meeting adjourned), 散开 (spread out), and 散步 (take a walk). Note: 散 has two pronunciations — sàn (verb, to scatter) and sǎn (adjective, loose/scattered).

Examples

1. 会议结束后，大家就散了。 After the meeting ended, everyone dispersed.
2. 风一吹，花瓣散落了一地。 When the wind blew, petals scattered all over the ground.
3. 人群慢慢散开，广场又安静了。 The crowd slowly spread out and the square became quiet again.

Usage Guide

Context: gatherings, everyday, nature

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 演出结束了，观众都散了。(The show is over and the audience has dispersed.)
• 雾气到了中午就散了。(The fog cleared by noon.)

Don't Say

• 我想散一下 meaning 'I want to take a walk' (For taking a walk, say 散步 or 散散步 — 散 alone means to scatter or disperse, not to stroll)

Origin & History

The character 散 combines an upper component suggesting separated fibres with 攵 (hand performing an action), conveying the idea of breaking apart and spreading outward.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal