scatter

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 散 has 12 strokes and the on-reading さん. 散る (ちる) means to fall or scatter; 散らす (ちらす) means to scatter something.
• Basic usage: 散る describes flowers falling or birds scattering. 散らす describes wind or a person spreading petals or colored paper.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• What scatters and what causes it
  • 花が一斉に散った describes flowers falling all at once. The past form of 散る is 散った; 鳥が四方へ散る describes birds scattering in all directions.
  • In 風が桜の花びらを道いっぱいに散らした, the wind causes the petals to scatter. 色紙を散らして describes scattering colored paper as decoration.