锦缎 (jǐn duàn) — brocade (a rich silk fabric with raised patterns)

Definition

A luxurious, richly patterned silk fabric — the everyday Chinese term for 'brocade' used in clothing and decorative arts. Distinct from plain 丝绸 ('silk') by its woven raised patterns.

noun
brocade (a rich silk fabric with raised patterns)
Measure word · 匹

Examples

  • 锦缎，。
    Zhè jiàn qí páo shì yòng jǐn duàn zuò de, fēi cháng jīng měi.
    This cheongsam is made of brocade and is very exquisite.
  • 锦缎。
    Bó wù guǎn lǐ zhǎn chū le yí kuài míng cháo de jǐn duàn.
    The museum displayed a piece of Ming dynasty brocade.
  • 锦缎。
    Tā xǐ huan shōu jí gè zhǒng huā wén de jǐn duàn.
    She likes to collect brocade with various patterns.

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.

锦jǐnbrocade
缎duànsatin

锦 and 缎 both name fine silk fabrics, so the word refers to brocade.

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 錦; 锦 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
帛帛bó
Sound part声符shēngfú
金
金jīn錦jǐn
Same sound today

The traditional form 錦 pairs 金, which gives its sound, with 帛, cloth.

Open 锦 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 缎 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.