Ideographic: Three parallel lines; compare 一 (one) and 二 (two)Radical:

meaning for sān:

  • - three
  • - 3the Three Represents enunciated by Jiang Zemin 江泽民 as the duty of the Chinese Communist party in 2001, namely: to represent productivity of an advanced society, forward progress of advanced culture and the fundamental interests of the peoplesee 三农问题 triangleT-joint
  • - T-piece
  • - T-pipe
  • - three linksThree Kingdoms period (220-280) in Chinese history
  • - several Three Kingdoms periods in Korean history, esp. from 1st century AD to unification under Silla 新罗 in 658

bǐfēn比分
shì
sān
líng

The score is three to zero.


sān
zhǐ
xiǎomāo小猫
zài
wánshuǎ玩耍

Three kittens are playing


zhège这个
xǐshǒujiān洗手间
yǒu
sān
mǎtǒng马桶

This restroom has three toilets.


zhè
běnshū本书
kěyǐ可以
fēnchéng分成
sān
bùfen部分
láikàn来看

This book can be divided into three parts for analysis.


měitiān每天
zǎoshang早上
mànpǎo慢跑
sān
gōnglǐ公里

I jog three kilometers every morning.