Common Meanings
1
sàn散
To scatter, disperse, or break up from a concentrated or gathered state; to separate.
孩子们在公园里玩耍，玩具散落了一地
The children were playing in the park, and their toys were scattered all over the ground.
to scatter, to distribute, to spread (e.g., news, fragrance)
花朵的香气散发在整个房间里。
The fragrance of the flowers diffused throughout the entire room.
To dispel or relieve (e.g., boredom, worries, stress).
下班后去公园走走，可以散散心。
After work, go for a walk in the park; it can help you relax and clear your mind.
To dismiss or fire someone from a job, often due to poor performance or a reduction in staff.
他最近工作表现不佳，老板只好把他散了。
His recent work performance was poor, so the boss had no choice but to fire him.
2
sǎn散
To be loose, scattered, or unrestrained; to let something loose or untidy, often lacking organization or discipline.
她喜欢在家里把头发披散开，感觉很放松。
She likes to wear her hair loose at home; it feels very relaxing.
To be scattered, dispersed, or spread out, indicating separation or disarray.
会议结束后，人群逐渐散开。
After the meeting, the crowd gradually dispersed.
Fragmented, scattered, or loose; not in a consolidated or bound form, such as unpackaged or loose-leaf.
超市里有些坚果是散装的，可以按需购买
Some nuts in the supermarket are sold in bulk, and you can buy them as needed.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), 'sǎn' refers to a medicinal powder or a powder preparation.
老中医开的方子里有几味草药，研磨成散。
The prescription from the old TCM doctor included several herbs, which were ground into a medicinal powder.