Refers to dust or sand blown up by wind, often in dry or desert areas. Can describe both a local dust cloud and a larger sandstorm.
A cloud of dust rose when the car passed.
In the desert, visibility can worsen due to sandstorms.
黄砂 refers to the seasonal Asian dust phenomenon, often yellowish and carried long distances; 砂塵 is a more general term for airborne sand/dust.
Standard kanji spelling.
Search-only kanji form; not a standard spelling.
Rarely used kanji form; 砂 is the modern standard.
Compound of 砂 (sand) and 塵 (dust). The kanji 沙 is a variant of 砂, now rare in this word.