沙 shā — granule; hoarse; raspy; sand; powder
孩子们在沙滩上堆沙堡。Hái zi men zài shā tān shàng duī shā bǎo.The children build sandcastles on the beach.
Common words: 沙发 (shā fā)、沙子 (shā zi)、沙漠 (shā mò)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "powder"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "powder", including 沙 (shā), 丹 (dān), 粉 (fěn). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "powder" covers 3 different Chinese characters — 沙 (shā), 丹 (dān), 粉 (fěn) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 3 characters do not share a sound — their readings span shā, dān, fěn — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 沙 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 沙 shāgranule; hoarse; raspy; sand; powderUseful words: 沙发, 沙子
- 丹 dānred; pellet; powder; cinnabarUseful words: 牡丹, 丹方
- 粉 fěndust; powderUseful words: 粉色, 粉碎
Common words for these 3 "powder" characters
Anchor each of these 3 characters in a word you can picture — start with 沙 (shā) — so "powder" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 3 ways to say "powder".
丹 dān — red; pellet; powder; cinnabar
这幅画上的牡丹开得十分鲜艳。Zhè fú huà shàng de mǔ dan kāi de shí fēn xiān yàn.The peonies in this painting are blooming brilliantly.
Common words: 牡丹 (mǔ dan)、丹方 (dān fāng)、丹心 (dān xīn)
粉 fěn — dust; powder
春天，桃花开成了一片粉色。Chūn tiān, táo huā kāi chéng le yí piàn fěn sè.In spring, the peach blossoms bloom into a sea of pink.
Common words: 粉色 (fěn sè)、粉碎 (fěn suì)、面粉 (miàn fěn)
All 3 characters
Open 沙、丹、粉 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.