saa1沙
Jyutpingsaa1
Yalesā
Definition
Small, granular particles or sand-like substances.
colloquialnaturefood
How it's used
Beyond literal sand, this character frequently describes textures that are granular or pulverized. It is common in food terminology to denote ingredients ground into a fine paste or powder, such as 豆沙 or 芝麻沙. When used to describe a sensation in the eye, it implies a gritty, irritating feeling caused by a foreign object.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse the literal sand with the slang usage of 沙 as a shorthand for money, which is rare and usually restricted to specific contexts like gambling or underworld jargon.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
