Meaning & readings

tag, paper money, counter for bonds, placard, bid

On’yomi サツ
Kun’yomi ふだ
Nanori さっ

Origin

This character combines wood on the left with a curved stroke on the right. The wood component refers to a wooden tablet or plaque, which was historically used in East Asia to display writing or information. The right component adds a sense of marking or notation. Together, these elements represent a wooden tag or placard that bears writing — the kind of object used to display prices, labels, or notices. Over time, this meaning extended to paper money and auction bids, which also function as marked tags or tokens of value.

AI-generated (claude-haiku-4-5), not yet reviewed. Formation type (automated guess): Compound ideographic (combined meanings).

5 strokes

Components

  • radical left
  • meaning part right

Common words

  • 荷札 にふだ label; tag
  • 改札 かいさつ examination of tickets
  • 札束 さつたば bundle of banknotes; stack of bills
  • 入札 にゅうさつ bid; tender
  • 名札 なふだ name plate; name tag
  • 落札 らくさつ successful bid; winning a tender
  • 表札 ひょうさつ nameplate; doorplate
  • 応札 おうさつ making a bid; tendering a bid

Reference

Strokes
5
Kangxi radical
75
Grade
Grade 4 (Kyōiku)
Frequency rank
#921 (newspapers)
Former JLPT
level 2
Unicode
U+0672D