<p>First, let's look at why 沙 (sand) is related to 水(water)</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Sand is found mostly on 滩岸 (beach and shore), close to a body of water  (ocean, river, etc.)</p>
</li>
<li><p>Sand is created by water eroding rock</p>
</li>
<li><p>like water, sand can 流動 (flow)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="http://xh.5156edu.com/html3/8825.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">漠</a>: 北方流沙也。——《说文》 (漠 = flowing/ moving sand in the north)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>A desert is in effect, an ocean of sand. Therefore, it is closely related to sand, and sand is closely related to water.</p>
<p>One interesting fact -- 莫 means 'without', so you can think of 漠 as 'without water'. The person who coined the word '漠' for 'desert' might have that in mind too</p>
<p><em>Side note: 少 means 'little', I suspect the word 沙 might be coined with the idea of 'made little by water' too</em></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-11-24T20:58:43.533Z
2020-11-25T06:57:47.110Z
2020-11-25T06:57:47.110Z
Tang Ho
<p>Since deserts are made of sand, does anyone have a clue why the character has 氵 in it?</p>
<p>Does it mean &quot;desert&quot; in the sense of &quot;desolate&quot;?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-11-24T20:35:18.103Z
沙.... also has water in it
小奥利奥
<etymology>
Why does 漠 (desert) have water in it?
# Why does 漠 (desert) have water in it?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-11-24)

Since deserts are made of sand, does anyone have a clue why the character has 氵 in it?

Does it mean "desert" in the sense of "desolate"?

**Tags:** etymology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 沙.... also has water in it  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-11-24. Score: 4

First, let's look at why 沙 (sand) is related to 水(water)

* Sand is found mostly on 滩岸 (beach and shore), close to a body of water (ocean, river, etc.)
* Sand is created by water eroding rock
* like water, sand can 流動 (flow)

> [漠](http://xh.5156edu.com/html3/8825.html): 北方流沙也。——《说文》 (漠 = flowing/ moving sand in the north)

A desert is in effect, an ocean of sand. Therefore, it is closely related to sand, and sand is closely related to water.

One interesting fact -- 莫 means 'without', so you can think of 漠 as 'without water'. The person who coined the word '漠' for 'desert' might have that in mind too

*Side note: 少 means 'little', I suspect the word 沙 might be coined with the idea of 'made little by water' too*


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