Definition
撒 (sā) means 'to let go' of something you're holding or 'to cast' a net. Unlike 放 (fàng), which is a general 'to release' or 'to put', 撒 emphasizes a deliberate, outward release of something held in your hand. It also differs from 投 (tóu) 'to throw' and 抛 (pāo) 'to toss' in that 撒 is not about throwing an object through the air, but about releasing it from your grasp (e.g., letting go of a rope) or scattering it (e.g., casting a net).
verb
to let goto releaseto castto throw (a net)
Easily confused
- 散sǎnlook-aliketo come loose; to fall apart; to become undone
- 洒sǎsound-aliketo sprinkle, to spray (liquid or powder)
- 拱gǒnglook-aliketo arch (the back, a bridge, etc.)
Examples
- 撒，。Tā sā kāi le shéngzi, gǒu jiù pǎo le.He let go of the rope, and the dog ran away.
- 。Yúmín zài hé lǐ sā wǎng.The fisherman cast a net in the river.
- 。Tā sā tuǐ jiù pǎo.He took off running.
Browse more HSK 6 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.