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綢 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
綢chóusilk cloth, satin damaskx, 14 strokes, radical 糹
chóu(chou2) T2
  1. 1silk cloth, satin damask
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

綢chóu(chou2)

The character 綢 (chóu) refers to a type of silk cloth, often associated with luxury and high-quality textiles. It is commonly used in contexts related to clothing, decoration, and traditional crafts, highlighting its significance in Chinese culture as a symbol of elegance and sophistication.

Strokes14Radical糹
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, silk has a rich history dating back thousands of years, often linked to the Silk Road, which facilitated trade and cultural exchange. The character 綢 embodies the appreciation for craftsmanship in traditional Chinese clothing.

Memory Tip

Imagine a beautiful flowing ribbon made of silk (the character's meaning) entwined around a 'chou' (sounds like 'chóu') - the soft, luxurious texture of the fabric is represented by the flowing lines of the character’s structure.

Meanings of 綢

chóu(chou2)
1silk cloth, satin damask
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 綢

綢Simplified
14Strokes
糹Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 綢

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Podcast: 綢

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 綢

Quick Contrast

绸 (chóu) - use 綢 when referring to a specific type of silk cloth associated with luxury, while 绸 generally refers to silk fabrics in a broader sense.

Usage Notes

Be mindful that 綢 is often used in a more formal context, associated with traditional clothing or special occasions. It commonly collocates with terms for threads, weaving, or types of garments. Avoid confusing it with other textiles like 棉 (mián), which means cotton.

HSK Study Tips

While 綢 is not part of the HSK curriculum, it connects with vocabulary related to clothing and textiles found in HSK Level 3 and above. Students should focus on recognizing characters related to fabrics and understanding their cultural significance.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 綢 with other fabric-related characters. For example, using 綢 when they mean cotton cloth (棉) is incorrect. Always remember that 綢 is specifically for silk cloth.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 綢

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Etymology of 綢

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 纟 represents the meaning and 周 represents the sound. Simplified form of 綢.

Memory Hint

silk

Semantic (meaning)糹
+
Phonetic (sound)周
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 綢

Phonosemantic compound. 纟 represents the meaning and 周 represents the sound. Simplified form of 綢.

  1. 1The meaning half糹 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half周 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaysilk
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 綢? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 綢?

Decomposition of 綢

IDS Structure⿰糹周
綢Full Character
=
糹si1
left
周Zhou1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 綢?

How to say silk cloth, satin damask in Chinese

“silk cloth, satin damask” in Chinese is綢chóu

The character 綢 (chóu) refers to a type of silk cloth, often associated with luxury and high-quality textiles. It is commonly used in contexts related to clothing, decoration, and traditional crafts, highlighting its significance in Chinese culture as a symbol of elegance and sophistication.

When to use 綢

Be mindful that 綢 is often used in a more formal context, associated with traditional clothing or special occasions. It commonly collocates with terms for threads, weaving, or types of garments. Avoid confusing it with other textiles like 棉 (mián), which means cotton.

綢 or something close to it

绸 (chóu) - use 綢 when referring to a specific type of silk cloth associated with luxury, while 绸 generally refers to silk fabrics in a broader sense.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 綢 with other fabric-related characters. For example, using 綢 when they mean cotton cloth (棉) is incorrect. Always remember that 綢 is specifically for silk cloth.

Write 綢

綢

Practice writing 綢 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 綢

Words Containing This Character10
丝绸sīchóusilk絲綢
绸chóu(light) silk綢
未雨绸缪to prepare for a rainy day未雨綢繆
丝绸之路the Silk Road絲綢之路
绸缎satin綢緞
塔夫绸taffeta塔夫綢
绸子silk綢子
绸缪to be sentimentally attached to sb or sth綢繆
府绸poplin (cotton cloth used for shirts)府綢
绵绸rough-textured fabric of waste silk綿綢
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 丝绸 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 綢

綢 refers to a specific type of silk cloth, while 絹 (juàn) is a more general term for silk.

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