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錦 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
錦jǐnbrocade, tapestry; embroideredx, 16 strokes, radical 釒
jǐn(jin3) T3
  1. 1brocade, tapestry; embroidered
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

錦jǐn(jin3)

錦 (jǐn) refers to a type of luxurious fabric, often richly decorated and used for clothing or tapestries. It embodies the concept of beauty and intricacy in textile arts, commonly associated with traditional Chinese garments and craftsmanship.

Strokes16Radical釒
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, brocade (錦) is highly valued and often used in traditional clothing during festivals and ceremonies, symbolizing wealth and honor.

Memory Tip

Imagine a beautiful tapestry that is intricately woven with golden threads, shining like a gem. The character 錦 looks like a 'gem' (金) wrapped in beautiful cloth, reminding you that jǐn means 'brocade' or 'tapestry'.

Meanings of 錦

jǐn(jin3)
1brocade, tapestry; embroidered
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 錦

錦Simplified
16Strokes
釒Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 錦

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Podcast: 錦

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 錦

Quick Contrast

锦 (jǐn) vs 绸 (chóu) — choose 锦 for its connotation of luxurious, decorative fabric, while 绸 refers to silk fabric that is smooth and shiny but less ornate.

Usage Notes

This character is often used in literary and artistic contexts and may appear in idiomatic expressions. Be cautious with its tone, as mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Although 錦 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it relates to higher-level words about textiles and decoration. Students should focus on its application in cultural contexts, particularly in art and fashion.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 錦 with similar characters like 金 (jīn), which means 'gold'. For instance, saying '我喜欢金布' (wǒ xǐ huān jīn bù) instead of '我喜欢锦布' (wǒ xǐ huān jǐn bù) can lead to misunderstanding.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 錦

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Etymology of 錦

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

Silk 帛 inlaid with gold 釒; 釒 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 錦

  1. 1The giveawaySilk 帛 inlaid with gold 釒; 釒 also provides the pronunciation
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

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

Want the full history of 錦? 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 錦?

Decomposition of 錦

IDS Structure⿰釒帛
錦Full Character
=
釒jin1
left
帛bo2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 錦?

How to say brocade, tapestry; embroidered in Chinese

“brocade, tapestry; embroidered” in Chinese is錦jǐn

錦 (jǐn) refers to a type of luxurious fabric, often richly decorated and used for clothing or tapestries. It embodies the concept of beauty and intricacy in textile arts, commonly associated with traditional Chinese garments and craftsmanship.

When to use 錦

This character is often used in literary and artistic contexts and may appear in idiomatic expressions. Be cautious with its tone, as mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with similar-sounding words.

錦 or something close to it

锦 (jǐn) vs 绸 (chóu) — choose 锦 for its connotation of luxurious, decorative fabric, while 绸 refers to silk fabric that is smooth and shiny but less ornate.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 錦 with similar characters like 金 (jīn), which means 'gold'. For instance, saying '我喜欢金布' (wǒ xǐ huān jīn bù) instead of '我喜欢锦布' (wǒ xǐ huān jǐn bù) can lead to misunderstanding.

Write 錦

錦

Practice writing 錦 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 錦

Words Containing This Character18
锦标赛championships錦標賽
胡锦涛Hu Jintao (1942-), General Secretary of the CPC 2002-2012, president of the PRC 2003-2013胡錦濤
锦jǐnbrocade錦
世锦赛world championship世錦賽
什锦mixed什錦
锦上添花jǐnshàngtiānhuāgilding the lily錦上添花
集锦best of the best集錦
锦绣beautiful錦繡
锦州Jinzhou prefecture-level city in Liaoning province 遼寧省|辽宁省 in northeast China錦州
锦标prize錦標
锦江Jinjiang district of Chengdu city 成都市[Chéng​dū​shì], Sichuan錦江
衣锦还乡to come back to one's hometown in silken robes (idiom); to return in glory衣錦還鄉
锦绣前程bright future錦繡前程
织锦brocade織錦
锦缎brocade錦緞
盘锦Panjin prefecture level city in Liaoning province 遼寧省|辽宁省 in northeast China盤錦
花团锦簇splendid花團錦簇
锦江区Jinjiang district of Chengdu city 成都市[Chéng​dū​shì], Sichuan錦江區
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 锦标赛 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 錦

It is pronounced as jǐn, with a falling tone.

Jason Recommends

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