巾 (jīn) - A piece of cloth & towel

巾Tone 1

jīn ｜ 3 strokes ｜ radical: 巾

傑君

巾 · jīn

A piece of cloth;

towel;

scarf;

kerchief;

headgear.

A piece of clothtowelscarf

Usage highlights

TowelScarfHandkerchiefHeadscarfBath towelNapkin

Synonyms

  • 布— cloth, fabric
  • 帕— handkerchief, kerchief

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I use a towel (毛巾) after showering.
  • She wears a scarf (围巾) in winter.
  • He wiped his face with a handkerchief (手巾).
  • The chef wears an apron (围裙, literally 'enclosing skirt').

Collocations

  • Towel(毛巾)
  • Scarf(围巾)
  • Handkerchief(手巾)
  • Headscarf(头巾)
  • Bath towel(浴巾)
  • Napkin(餐巾)

Idioms

  • To be a cut above the rest(巾国英雄, variant of 巾帼英雄)
  • Heroine(巾帼英雄)
  • To hang up one's official hat and return to private life(挂冠归去, metaphorically 'hang up the official headgear')

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 巾 originally depicted a piece of cloth hanging down, used for headwear or wiping.
  • In ancient China, different headgear (冠, 巾) indicated social status – scholars and commoners often wore 巾.
  • 巾帼 specifically refers to ancient women's headwear, and by extension means 'women' (e.g., 巾帼英雄 'heroine').

FAQ