绸缎 (chóu duàn) — silks and satins; silk fabrics | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

绸缎 (chóu duàn) is a formal collective noun for fine silk fabrics as a category — 绸 and 缎 are two specific types of silk woven together as a set.

noun

silks and satinssilk fabrics

Examples

绸缎。
Tā xǐ huan yòng chóu duàn zuò yī fu.
She likes to make clothes with silks and satins.
绸缎。
Zhè xiē chóu duàn de zhì dì fēi cháng hǎo.
The texture of these silks and satins is very good.
绸缎。
Shāng diàn lǐ bǎi mǎn le gè zhǒng chóu duàn.
The shop is full of all kinds of silks and satins.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

绸 and 缎 are two kinds of smooth fabric; together they name silks and satins.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 綢; 绸 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mìsilk

Sound part声符shēngfú

周

周zhōu綢chóu

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 綢, the left part 糸 is silk and the right part 周 is used for the sound; the simplified 绸 is a later shorthand.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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