丝绸

• Pinyin: sī chóu
• Hanzi breakdown: 丝 = pictograph of twisted silk threads; 绸 = 纟(silk radical) + 周 (all around, complete) — silk woven all around; a complete silk fabric

Meaning

Silk; silk fabric. The woven textile produced from silk threads, historically one of China's most prized and globally traded materials.

A compound emphasising silk as a finished woven fabric, distinct from raw silk thread (生丝). Suzhou and Hangzhou are the most celebrated production centres. The term appears in 丝绸之路 (Silk Road) and remains central to discussions of Chinese culture, trade history, and luxury goods.

Examples

1. 苏州一直是中国著名的丝绸产地，所产丝绸以质地细腻、色泽鲜艳而享誉海内外。 Suzhou has long been one of China’s most famous silk-producing regions, renowned at home and abroad for silk that is fine in texture and vibrant in color.
2. 这条古代商路因大量运输丝绸而得名，成为东西方文明交流的重要纽带。 This ancient trade route was named for the large volumes of silk transported along it, and it became an important link for exchanges between Eastern and Western civilizations.
3. 她购置了一批上等丝绸，准备按照传统工艺裁制成礼服，赠予远方的宾客。 She purchased a batch of high-quality silk, planning to cut and sew it into formal attire using traditional techniques and present it to guests from afar.

Usage Guide

Context: material, textile, culture, commerce

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 古代中国的丝绸制造工艺长期处于世界领先地位，其精湛程度至今仍为许多学者所称道。(Ancient China's silk-making craftsmanship maintained a world-leading position for centuries, and its sophistication continues to be admired by many scholars to this day.)
• 这家博物馆的纺织品展区专门陈列着从汉代到清代各时期的丝绸珍品，令参观者叹为观止。(The textile section of this museum exhibits rare silk treasures spanning each period from the Han to the Qing dynasty, leaving visitors in awe.)

Don't Say

• 不要将 丝绸 与 丝 混用 — 丝 refers to raw silk thread or a single strand, while 丝绸 specifically refers to the woven silk fabric; they are related but not interchangeable in most contexts

Origin & History

丝 (silk thread) + 绸 (woven silk fabric) — silk as a finished textile; the compound emphasises the woven and lustrous quality of the material

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal