To shine; (light, sunlight) to come in or fall into a place.
朝、窓から日が差して部屋が明るくなった。
In the morning sunlight came through the window and the room brightened.
木漏れ日が差す公園を散歩した。
I walked through a park where dappled sunlight fell.
雲の間から太陽が差した瞬間、空がきらりと光った。
The moment the sun shone through a gap in the clouds, the sky sparkled.
To become visible; to start to be seen (something faint or distant beginning to appear).
早朝、霧の中に向こう岸がようやく差して見えた。
In the early morning, the far shore finally started to become visible through the fog.
遠くの山の輪郭が薄く差してきた。
The outline of the distant mountain began to show faintly.
To be tinged with; to take on a slight color or quality (e.g., a blush, tint, or expression).
彼女の頬に赤みが差した。
A flush of red appeared on her cheeks.
夕焼けが空に淡い朱色を差している。
The sunset tints the sky with a faint crimson.
その話を聞いて彼の顔に不安の色が差した。
Hearing that, a look of unease came over his face.
To rise or flow in (of water, tide); to come in (as the tide rises).
満潮で海水が川に差してきた。
At high tide the seawater flowed into the river.
干潮から満潮にかけて潮が差してきたので堤防に注意した。
From low to high tide the water rose, so we watched the embankment carefully.
To be suddenly overcome by a feeling or impulse; to be seized by (an emotion or mood).
ふと胸に不安が差した。
Suddenly a feeling of unease came over me.
魔が差して、窓を開けてしまった（※「魔が差す」の用法）。
On a strange impulse (literally 'a demon seized me'), I opened the window.
To hold up (an umbrella, parasol, etc.); to put up (an umbrella) over oneself or someone else.
雨が降ってきたので、彼は傘を差した。
It started to rain, so he opened an umbrella.
彼女は日差しを避けて日傘を差した。
She put up a parasol to avoid the sunlight.
駅で待っている間、母が子どもに傘を差してあげた。
While waiting at the station, the mother held an umbrella over her child.
To extend one's arm straight forward (a movement in dance or performance).
舞台で彼女は優雅に右腕を前に差してポーズをとった。
On stage she gracefully extended her right arm forward and struck a pose.
To insert or put in (something); to stick in or place (e.g., hairpin, card).
彼女は髪にかんざしを差した。
She put a hairpin into her hair.
写真立ての後ろに手紙をそっと差しておいた。
I quietly slipped a letter behind the photo frame.
To wear (a sword) at one's belt; to carry a blade at one's side.
侍は脇差を帯に差して町を歩いていた。
The samurai walked through town with a short sword at his belt.
祭りの時、古式の衣装に刀を差す役割の人がいた。
At the festival there was a person assigned to wear a sword as part of the traditional costume.
In sumo, to insert one's arm under the opponent's arm (a grip/move).
力士は右腕を相手の脇に差して勝負を決めた。
The rikishi inserted his right arm under the opponent's armpit and decided the match.
To pole a boat; to propel a boat by pushing a pole against the bottom or bank.
浅瀬で棒を使って小舟を差しながら進んだ。
In the shallows we propelled the small boat along using a pole.
To pour or add (a liquid); to serve drinks.
客にお茶を差してから席に着いた。
I served tea to the guest and then took my seat.
彼は盃に酒を差して乾杯を促した。
He poured sake into the cups and prompted a toast.
To put on (lipstick, makeup); to apply color or dye.
鏡を見ながら口紅を差した。
She applied lipstick while looking in the mirror.
舞台用に頬に紅を差して準備を整えた。
She put rouge on her cheeks for the stage and finished getting ready.
To light (a fire); to set alight or ignite.
夜になって松明に火を差した。
At night they lit the torches.
To shut, close, fasten, or lock (an older or regional usage).
夜になり、店主は戸を差して商店を閉めた（やや古い言い方）。
At night the shopkeeper shut up the shop (a somewhat old-fashioned expression).
A suffix added after a verb's -masu stem meaning 'to stop in the midst of' or 'to leave undone' (an archaic/limited usage today).
（古風）彼は読み差して本を閉じた。
(archaic) He stopped reading partway and closed the book.