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March 24, 2026
綿mián(mian2)
The character 綿 (mián) primarily refers to soft, downy materials such as cotton and silk. It conveys a sense of continuity and can describe something that is unbroken or ongoing. This character is often used in contexts related to textiles or softness, making it common in discussions about clothing and fabric.
Strokes14Radical糹Frequency#51184DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the quality of cotton and silk is highly valued, especially in traditional clothing. The use of 綿 is often associated with comfort and warmth in garments, reflecting the importance of textiles in daily life.
Memory Tip
Imagine a fluffy cloud made of cotton (綿) floating in the sky, representing the softness and lightness of the material. The character's components suggest a connection to threads (糸) woven together, emphasizing continuity and softness.
Meanings of 綿
mián(mian2)
1continuous, unbroken; cotten, silk; soft, downy
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 綿
綿Simplified
14Strokes
糹Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 綿
Podcast: 綿
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AI Study Notes for 綿
Quick Contrast
棉 (mián, cotton) is specifically used for cotton materials, while 綿 (mián) can refer more broadly to soft, downy materials including silk.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a fluffy cloud made of cotton (綿) floating in the sky, representing the softness and lightness of the material. The character's components suggest a connection to threads (糸) woven together, emphasizing continuity and softness.
Usage Notes
When using 綿, be aware that it often appears in compound words related to textiles, such as 綿羊 (mián yáng, 'sheep') or 綿花 (mián huā, 'cotton flower'). Common mistakes include confusing it with similar-sounding characters like 棉 (mián), which also means 'cotton' but can have different contexts.
HSK Study Tips
Although 綿 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects with HSK Level 3 and 4 words like 布 (bù, 'cloth') and 软 (ruǎn, 'soft'). Focus on recognizing its usage in textile-related vocabulary and practice forming sentences with it.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the quality of cotton and silk is highly valued, especially in traditional clothing. The use of 綿 is often associated with comfort and warmth in garments, reflecting the importance of textiles in daily life.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 綿 with 棉, mistakenly using 綿 to refer to cotton in all contexts. For example, saying '我喜欢綿衣服' (wǒ xǐ huān mián yīfú) when it should be '我喜欢棉衣服' (wǒ xǐ huān mián yīfú) to mean 'I like cotton clothing.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 綿
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Cultural Notes for 綿
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the quality of cotton and silk is highly valued, especially in traditional clothing. The use of 綿 is often associated with comfort and warmth in garments, reflecting the importance of textiles in daily life.
Word Family of 綿
Words Containing This Character20
海绵hǎimiánsponge (zoology)海綿
绵羊sheep綿羊
缠绵touching (emotions)纏綿
绵miánsoft綿
绵绵continuous綿綿
连绵liánmiáncontinuous連綿
绵延a continuous link綿延
软绵绵soft軟綿綿
绵阳Mianyang prefecture level city in Sichuan綿陽
绵长extensive綿長
海绵体corpus cavernosum海綿體
绵阳市Mianyang prefecture level city in north Sichuan, Sichuan's second city綿陽市
绵绵不绝continuous綿綿不絕
绵薄my humble effort綿薄
缠绵悱恻very sentimental纏綿悱惻
延绵to extend continuously延綿
绵密detailed綿密
绵力one's limited power (humble expr.)綿力
绵竹Mianzhu county level city in Deyang 德陽|德阳[Déyáng], Sichuan綿竹
丝绵down絲綿
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 海绵 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 綿
綿 can refer specifically to the material cotton or silk, or it can describe something that is soft and continuous.
綿 is pronounced as 'mián' with a rising tone, similar to a question in English.
Yes, phrases like 綿羊 (mián yáng, 'sheep') and 綿花 (mián huā, 'cotton flower') are commonly used.
