手巾 is a general term for a small piece of cloth used for wiping or drying. Depending on the context, it can refer to a towel (for drying hands, face, or body) or a handkerchief (for blowing the nose or wiping sweat). In modern Mandarin, 毛巾 (machine-woven towel) has largely replaced 手巾 for 'towel', but 手巾 remains in use for 'handkerchief' in some regions and contexts.