砂

Phono-semantic compound:

石 (석, “stone, rock”) - semantic, indicating small stone particles.

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

Thus originally “small stone fragments,” later extended to mean sand.

砂糖 (사탕) — sugar (lit. “sand sugar”)

砂礫 (사력) — gravel, pebbles

砂漠 (사막) — desert (interchangeable with 沙漠)

硅砂 (규사) — silica sand

砂 is historically considered a variant or simplified form of 沙, both meaning “sand.”

Regional usage:

Japan: 砂 is the more commonly used form, though 沙 also appears in compounds.

China & Korea: 沙 is far more frequent; 砂 is secondary or restricted to certain contexts.

Both forms may be used interchangeably in compounds like 沙漠 / 砂漠 (“desert”), with 沙 preferred in Chinese and Korean, and 砂 favored in Japanese.