缁 (zī) - Black silk & dark-colored, especially referring to black Buddhist monastic robes.

缁Tone 1

zī ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

志

缁 · zī

Black silk;

dark-colored, especially referring to black Buddhist monastic robes.

Black silkdark-colored, especially referring to black Buddhist monastic robes.

Usage highlights

Black robesBuddhist monastic robeBlack colorTo become a monk/nunBlack and whiteBlackened by dust

Synonyms

  • 黑— black (general term)
  • 玄— dark black, profound black
  • 墨— ink black

Antonyms

  • 白— white
  • 素— plain, undyed

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The monk wore black robes (缁衣).
  • She dyed the fabric black (缁色).
  • He left worldly life to become a monk (披缁出家).
  • The ancient text mentions black garments (缁服).

Collocations

  • Black robes(缁衣)
  • Buddhist monastic robe(缁服)
  • Black color(缁色)
  • To become a monk/nun(披缁)
  • Black and white(缁素)
  • Blackened by dust(尘缁)

Idioms

  • Distinguishing black from white(辨如悬河，析如缁素)
  • Not stained by dust(不染尘缁)
  • Black robes and plain clothes - monks and laypeople(缁素)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Buddhism, '缁' specifically refers to the black robes worn by monks and nuns, symbolizing renunciation of worldly life.
  • The character appears in classical Chinese texts describing dark-colored fabrics, particularly silk.
  • In literary contexts, '缁素' represents the contrast between monastic life (black robes) and lay life (plain clothes).

FAQ