泥沙
ní shā
silt
mud (泥) + sand (沙) = silt
Both characters wear the water radical, grounding them in rivers and flow. 尼 and 少 are phonetic guides, not meaning-bearers; the shared water element is what ties mud and sand together as the fine material rivers carry and deposit.
河里有很多泥沙。
hé lǐ yǒu hěn duō ní shā。
There is a lot of silt in the river.
大雨过后，河水里的泥沙变多了。
dà yǔ guò hòu， hé shuǐ lǐ de ní shā biàn duō le。
After the heavy rain, the silt in the river water increased.