缦 (màn) - Unadorned silk & plain silk fabric without patterns

缦Tone 4

màn ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

伦妙

缦 · màn

Unadorned silk;

plain silk fabric without patterns;

by extension, something plain, unadorned, or simple.

Unadorned silkplain silk fabric without patternsby extension, something plain, unadorned, or simple.

Usage highlights

Plain silkSilk fabricSilk curtainUnadorned silkCoarse silkSilk ribbon

Synonyms

  • 素— plain, white, simple
  • 朴— simple, unadorned
  • 简— simple, brief

Antonyms

  • 锦— brocade, patterned silk
  • 绣— embroidered
  • 华— ornate, magnificent

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • She wore a dress made of plain silk (缦衣).
  • The wall was decorated with simple silk hangings (缦缯).
  • He preferred unpatterned fabrics (无花纹的缦).
  • The room had plain silk curtains (缦帘).

Collocations

  • Plain silk(素缦)
  • Silk fabric(缦帛)
  • Silk curtain(缦幕)
  • Unadorned silk(无文缦)
  • Coarse silk(粗缦)
  • Silk ribbon(缦带)

Idioms

  • Ripples spreading out in circles(罗帏舒卷, 似有人开; 明月直入, 无心可猜 — from Li Bai's poem)
  • Plain silk without ornament(素缦无文)
  • Simple and unadorned(质朴缦约)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient China, patterned silk was more valuable than plain silk, so 缦 represented simplicity and lack of ornamentation.
  • The character appears in classical poetry to describe simple, unadorned beauty.
  • Used in contrast to brocade and embroidered fabrics which symbolized wealth and status.

FAQ