沙

Phono-semantic compound:

水 (수, “water”) - semantic, indicating relation to rivers, shores, and particles in water.

少 (소, “few, small”) - phonetic, provides sound.

Originally denoted sand scattered along riverbanks.

沙灘 (사탄) — sandy beach

沙漠 (사막) — desert

流沙 (유사) — quicksand

金沙 (금사) — golden sand

砂, a simplified form of 沙.

In Japanese, both 沙 and 砂 are used; 沙 is usually read in Sino-Japanese compounds, while 砂 is more common in daily usage.

In Korean and Chinese, 沙 is the more frequently used form, though dictionaries often list both.