缣 (jiān) - A fine, closely woven silk fabric & double-thread silk used in ancient China for writing

缣Tone 1

jiān ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

嘉健

缣 · jiān

A fine, closely woven silk fabric;

double-thread silk used in ancient China for writing and painting.

A fine, closely woven silk fabricdouble-thread silk used in ancient China for writing

Usage highlights

Fine silk fabricSilk for paintingSilk documentsSilk and paperSilk scrollSilk thread

Synonyms

  • 帛— silk fabric (general term)
  • 绸— silk cloth
  • 绢— thin, tough silk

Antonyms

  • 麻— hemp (coarse fabric)
  • 布— cloth (ordinary fabric)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Ancient manuscripts were written on silk fabric (缣帛).
  • This painting is on double-thread silk (缣素).
  • The museum displays silk documents from the Han dynasty (缣书).
  • Fine silk was used for important documents (缣纸).

Collocations

  • Fine silk fabric(缣帛)
  • Silk for painting(缣素)
  • Silk documents(缣书)
  • Silk and paper(缣纸)
  • Silk scroll(缣卷)
  • Silk thread(缣线)

Idioms

  • Writing on silk and bamboo(缣帛竹简)
  • Silk for writing, bamboo for records(缣书竹记)
  • Fine silk and thin paper(缣薄纸轻)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 缣 was an important writing material in ancient China before paper became widespread.
  • This fine silk was expensive and typically used for important documents, paintings, and imperial decrees.
  • The character reflects the sophistication of ancient Chinese textile and writing culture.

FAQ