noun
gold dust; silver dust
Refers to fine particles of gold or silver used in traditional crafts, such as lacquerware (蒔絵) or painting.
蒔絵には金の砂子が使われる。
Gold dust is used in maki-e lacquerware.
noun
Dated term for sand or grit; modern Japanese normally uses 砂 (すな) instead.
See also: 砂 (すな)
昔は「砂子」をすなと読まず、すなごと呼んで砂を表した。
In the past, '砂子' was read as 'sunago' and meant sand, not 'suna'.
Modern standard word for sand; 砂子 is an older or specialized term.
Compound of 砂 (sand) and 子 (diminutive suffix), literally 'sand child', referring to fine particles. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.