綢 (chóu) - Silk fabric & silk cloth

綢Tone 2

chóu ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

綢 · chóu

Silk fabric;

silk cloth;

to bind or wrap with silk;

thick and soft like silk.

Silk fabricsilk clothto bind or wrap with silk

Usage highlights

Silk fabricSilk scarfSilk ribbonSilk merchantSilk industrySilk thread

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 麻— hemp, coarse fabric
  • 布— cotton cloth, common fabric

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • This dress is made of silk (丝绸).
  • She wore a silk scarf (绸巾).
  • The fabric feels smooth like silk (绸缎般光滑).
  • They wrapped the gift in silk (用绸包裹).

Collocations

  • Silk fabric(丝绸)
  • Silk scarf(绸巾)
  • Silk ribbon(绸带)
  • Silk merchant(绸商)
  • Silk industry(绸业)
  • Silk thread(绸线)

Idioms

  • As close as silk and glue(绸缪胶漆)
  • To prepare carefully in advance(未雨绸缪)
  • Silk and satin(绸缎绫罗)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Silk has been a symbol of luxury and refinement in Chinese culture for millennia.
  • The character 绸 appears in classical texts describing fine garments and textiles.
  • Silk production was a closely guarded secret in ancient China and a major export commodity.

FAQ