撒

• Pinyin: sā
• Hanzi breakdown: 撒 = 扌(hand) + 散 (to scatter/disperse) — to scatter or sprinkle with the hand

Meaning

To scatter; to sprinkle; to spread or disperse widely by releasing from the hand or a container.

Used for scattering seeds (撒种), sprinkling salt or seasoning, spreading fertiliser, and figuratively for disseminating information or rumours. In some contexts can mean to let loose or unleash (撒欢 — to frolic freely, 撒野 — to behave wildly). Tone-sensitive: sā (scatter) vs. sǎ (to spill/release).

Examples

1. 农民们趁着清晨的凉意，将经过精心挑选的种子均匀地撒入已翻耕好的田地之中。 Taking advantage of the morning cool, the farmers evenly scattered carefully selected seeds into the freshly tilled fields.
2. 厨师在装盘时将少许葱花和芝麻均匀撒在菜肴表面，既增添了色泽，也提升了香气。 When plating the dish, the chef evenly sprinkled a little chopped scallion and sesame on top, adding color and boosting the aroma.
3. 孩子们在海滩上奔跑嬉戏，将手中的细沙高高撒起，随风飘散在阳光下闪着金光。 The children ran and played on the beach, tossing handfuls of fine sand high into the air, where it drifted in the wind and glittered in the sunlight.

Usage Guide

Context: agriculture, cooking, daily life, nature

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 园丁在花坛周围仔细撒上一层草木灰，以驱避可能伤害植物根系的害虫并补充土壤中的矿物质。(The gardener carefully scattered a layer of plant ash around the flower bed to repel pests that might damage the plant roots and to supplement minerals in the soil.)
• 表演结束时，台下观众将五颜六色的花瓣撒向舞台，以热烈而浪漫的方式表达对演员的赞美与感谢。(At the end of the performance, audience members scattered colourful petals onto the stage as a warm and romantic tribute to the performers.)

Don't Say

• 把水撒到杯子里 — 撒 implies a scattering/dispersing motion; for pouring into a container, use 倒 or 加

Origin & History

撒 = 扌(hand radical) + 散 (to scatter/disperse — 攴 strike + 𣎵 loosened fibers = to break apart and disperse) — to disperse with the hand

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal