Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
绉 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
绉zhòucrepe, imitation silk; wrinkles, creasesn, 8 strokes, radical 纟
绉zhòuwrinkleunknown, 8 strokes, radical 纟
zhòu(zhou4) T4
  1. 1crepe, imitation silk; wrinkles, creases
  2. 2wrinkle
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

绉(縐)zhòu(zhou4)

绉 (zhòu) refers to a type of fabric that resembles crepe or imitation silk, characterized by its textured surface. It can also describe wrinkles or creases in materials or even in skin. Commonly used in the context of fashion and textile discussions, it conveys an aesthetic quality as well as a physical texture.

Strokes8Radical纟
Cultural Note

In Chinese fashion, the use of 绉 fabric is popular for traditional garments like qipaos, emphasizing elegance and grace. The texture is valued for its ability to drape beautifully, reflecting the aesthetic appreciation in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a delicate fabric that looks like it’s been wrinkled intentionally, giving it a soft, flowing appearance. The character 绉 has a '绞' (jiǎo) component which suggests twisting or fabric, and '毛' (máo) representing fluffiness, helping you remember it relates to textured fabric.

Meanings of 绉

zhòu(zhou4)
1crepe, imitation silk; wrinkles, creases
2wrinkle
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 绉

绉Simplified
縐Traditional
8Strokes
纟Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 绉

JasonAmy

Podcast: 绉

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 绉

Usage Notes

Be careful to distinguish 绉 from similar terms related to fabric; it specifically implies a textured quality. It is often used in more formal contexts about textiles, so be cautious when using it in casual conversation. Common collocations include 绉布 (zhòu bù - crepe fabric) and 绉纹 (zhòu wén - creases).

HSK Study Tips

While 绉 is not in HSK vocabulary lists, it connects well to words about clothing and textiles found in HSK 3 and 4, such as 衣服 (yīfu - clothes) and 织 (zhī - to weave). Focus on how it can be used in descriptions of fabric types.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 绉 with similar sounding words like 皱 (zhòu), which specifically means 'wrinkle' without the fabric context. Ensure you use 绉 only when discussing textiles or fabrics.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 绉

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 绉 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 绉

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

silk

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 绉

  1. 1The meaning half纟 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half刍 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 绉? 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 绉?

Decomposition of 绉

IDS Structure⿰纟刍
绉Full Character
=
纟si1
left
刍chu2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 绉?

How to say crepe, imitation silk; wrinkles, creases in Chinese

“crepe, imitation silk; wrinkles, creases” in Chinese is绉zhòu

绉 (zhòu) refers to a type of fabric that resembles crepe or imitation silk, characterized by its textured surface. It can also describe wrinkles or creases in materials or even in skin. Commonly used in the context of fashion and textile discussions, it conveys an aesthetic quality as well as a physical texture.

When to use 绉

Be careful to distinguish 绉 from similar terms related to fabric; it specifically implies a textured quality. It is often used in more formal contexts about textiles, so be cautious when using it in casual conversation. Common collocations include 绉布 (zhòu bù - crepe fabric) and 绉纹 (zhòu wén - creases).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 绉 with similar sounding words like 皱 (zhòu), which specifically means 'wrinkle' without the fabric context. Ensure you use 绉 only when discussing textiles or fabrics.

Write 绉

绉

Practice writing 绉 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 绉

Words Containing This Character2
文绉绉bookish文縐縐
绉zhòucrepe縐
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 文绉绉 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 绉

The pronunciation is zhòu, with a falling tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 绉?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.