斜纹 (xié wén) — twill (a weave pattern in fabric, characterized…

Definition

noun

twill (a weave pattern in fabric, characterized by diagonal parallel ribs)

斜纹。
Zhè tiáo kù zi shì xié wén miàn liào zuò de.
These pants are made of twill fabric.
斜纹，。
xié wén Bǐ píng wén gèng nài mó, shì hé zuò gōng zuò fú.
Twill is more durable than plain weave, suitable for work clothes.
斜纹。
Wǒ xǐ huan xié wén bù liào dú tè de wén lǐ.
I like the unique texture of twill fabric.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

斜xiéslanting

斜 means slanting and 纹 a pattern, so the fabric weave has slanting ribs.

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.

斗余斜

Meaning part形符xíngfú

斗斗dòuladle/dipper

Sound part声符shēngfú

余

余yú斜xié

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

斜 pairs 斗, a ladle or dipper, with 余 for sound; the idea of scooping or drawing out was extended to mean a slant.

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 紋; 纹 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mìthread

Sound part声符shēngfú

文

Same sound today

The traditional form 紋 pairs 糸 (thread) with 文 as the sound part, giving the sense of a line of thread; this note is about 紋, not 纹.