伞
umbrella
sǎn
What does 伞 mean?
伞 (sǎn) means 'umbrella' — including both rain umbrellas (雨伞 yǔsǎn) and sun parasols (阳伞 yángsǎn or 太阳伞 tàiyángsǎn). In daily speech, 伞 alone usually means a rain umbrella; if context isn't clear, people say 雨伞. The measure word is 把 (bǎ), used for things with a handle: 一把伞 ('one umbrella').
The character 伞 is a brilliant pictograph — the top resembles the canopy and the bottom shows the spokes and handle. Don't gift an umbrella to a friend in Chinese culture: 伞 (sǎn) sounds like 散 (sàn, 'to part / break up'), an inauspicious word for relationships. Common verbs: 打伞 ('hold up an umbrella / use one'), 收伞 ('close an umbrella'), 带伞 ('bring an umbrella').
Character breakdown
umbrella (pictograph of a canopy with spokes)
Memory hook: Look at the character: the top is the canopy, the four small marks are the spokes, the bottom stroke is the handle. It IS an umbrella.
Measure word for 伞
Example sentences
下雨了，你带伞了吗？
Xiàyǔ le, nǐ dài sǎn le ma?
It's raining — did you bring an umbrella?
spoken
我有一把红色的伞。
Wǒ yǒu yì bǎ hóngsè de sǎn.
I have a red umbrella.
spoken
外面在下雨，请打伞。
Wàimiàn zài xiàyǔ, qǐng dǎ sǎn.
It's raining outside — please use an umbrella.
neutral
我忘了带伞，全身都湿了。
Wǒ wàng le dài sǎn, quán shēn dōu shī le.
I forgot to bring an umbrella and got completely soaked.
spoken
Common phrases with 伞
Synonyms
雨伞 specifies a rain umbrella. 伞 alone defaults to rain umbrella in most contexts but can refer to any umbrella. When clarity matters (sun vs rain), use 雨伞 / 太阳伞.
Don't confuse 伞 with
散 (sàn) means 'to scatter / to break up / to disperse.' Same pronunciation as 伞 — this homophone is exactly why Chinese people don't gift umbrellas (it sounds like wishing the relationship to break apart).