毳 (cuì) - Fine, soft hair & down

毳Tone 4

cuì ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

毳 · cuì

Fine, soft hair;

down;

fuzz;

especially referring to the fine, soft feathers or fur of animals.

Fine, soft hairdownfuzz

Usage highlights

Fine hairBird downSoft furWoolen fabricFeltFine brush

Synonyms

  • 毛— hair, fur (more general term)
  • 绒— velvet, fluff, nap
  • 毫— fine hair, writing brush tip

Antonyms

  • 刚— hard, rigid, strong
  • 粗— coarse, rough, thick

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The bird's down keeps it warm (鸟的毳毛).
  • Fine wool from certain animals (动物毳毛).
  • A brush made of fine animal hair (毳笔).

Collocations

  • Fine hair(毳毛)
  • Bird down(鸟毳)
  • Soft fur(柔毳)
  • Woolen fabric(毳布)
  • Felt(毳毡)
  • Fine brush(毳笔)

Idioms

  • Hair-like and down-like(毫厘丝毳)
  • Not a single hair out of place(不遗毫毳)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient texts, 毳 often described the finest, softest animal hair or feathers used for luxury items.
  • It appears in classical Chinese medical texts describing fine body hair.
  • The character's structure of three 毛 (hair) characters stacked emphasizes the concept of fine, multiple hairs.

FAQ