沙砾

沙礫

shālì

noun #33,736

Meanings

1 sand and gravel
2 grains of sand and small pebbles

Characters

gravel; small stone

Examples

海滩上铺满了沙砾。

Hǎitān shangpū mǎn le shālì.

The beach was covered in sand and gravel.

大风把沙砾吹到了脸上。

Dàfēng bǎ shālì chuī dào le liǎnshang.

The strong wind blew grains of sand into my face.

Tips

register

沙砾 is more literary than 沙子 (shāzi, 'sand'). It often appears in scientific (geology), poetic, or descriptive prose. 砾 specifically means 'gravel' — small stones. So 沙砾 = sand + gravel, the coarse mix on beaches and riverbeds.

Stroke Order

沙 shā

砾 lì