sand

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 沙 has 7 strokes and also occurs in words that cannot be interpreted simply from its basic meaning of sand.
• Basic usage: 沙弥 is read しゃみ, and 警察沙汰 is read けいさつざた.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Whole-word reading and meaning
  • 沙弥 means a Buddhist novice monk; it is not read by inserting the representative on-reading さ for 沙 unchanged.
• Becoming a police matter
  • 警察沙汰になった means that something became a matter involving the police.
  • Here, the 沙汰 part is read ざた.