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Kotomora

散

scatter, disperse, spend, squander

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · grade 4FrequencyTop 1,000Strokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • サン

Kun'yomi

  • ち.る
  • ち.らす
  • -ち.らす
  • ち.らかす
  • ち.らかる
  • ち.らばる
  • ばら
  • ばら.ける

Nanori

  • ちる

Meaning

散 centers on things breaking apart and spreading outward: scattering, dispersing, or spending resources until they are gone.

Most common words using 散

23 of 280
  • 解散かいさん
    N3

    breaking up (a meeting, gathering, etc.); dispersal (e.g. of a crowd)

  • 散歩さんぽ
    N5

    walk; stroll

  • 拡散かくさん
    N1

    spreading; disseminating; scattering

  • 分散ぶんさん
    N1

    dispersion; breakup; scattering; decentralization; decentralisation; distribution

  • 散るちる
    N3

    to fall (e.g. blossoms, leaves)

  • 散々さんざん
    N1

    thoroughly; completely; utterly

  • 散らしちらし
    N2

    leaflet; flyer; handbill

  • 発散はっさん
    N1

    emission; emanation; radiation; diffusion; dispersion

  • 散らすちらす
    N2

    to scatter; to cause a shower of

  • 散策さんさく

    walking; strolling; roaming; wandering; exploring

  • 散布さんぷ

    dissemination; scattering; sprinkling; spraying

  • 散らかすちらかす
    N3

    to scatter around; to leave untidy; to make a mess

  • 散らかるちらかる
    N3

    to be in disorder; to lie scattered around

  • 散らばるちらばる
    N1

    to be scattered about; to disperse; to be littered (with)

  • 散髪さんぱつ
    N1

    (having a) haircut; hair-cutting; hair-dressing

  • 閑散かんさん

    deserted (esp. store, market, town, streets); quiet; still; hushed; empty

  • 散漫さんまん

    vague; desultory; distracted; loose; half-hearted; diffuse; scattered

  • 離散りさん

    dispersion; separation; scattering; breakup

  • 散発さんぱつ

    sporadic; scattering

  • 散骨さんこつ

    scattering of ashes (cremated remains)

  • 散文さんぶん

    prose

  • 散会さんかい

    adjournment

  • 集散しゅうさん

    collection (gathering) and distribution

Explore all words using 散 →

Study

Etymology

散 is thought to combine 攵 (a hand holding a stick) with a component representing separation or scattering. The exact historical development of the left side is uncertain, but the character consistently conveys breaking apart and dispersing.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side looks like scattered pieces (龷 and ⺼), and the right side 攵 is a hand with a stick. Imagine using a stick to break something apart, sending pieces scattering everywhere.

Reading mnemonic

For サン, picture scattering sand with a stick: sand -> サン, and the sand disperses in all directions.