Chinese word

丝

Pronunciation

Pinyinsī

Meaning

  • nounthread

Example

衣服上有一根丝。yī fú shàng yǒu yì gēn sī

There is a thread on the clothing.

Illustration for 丝 (thread)

More examples

舞台上，演员手里舞动着一条丝带。wǔ tái shàng yǎn yuán shóu lǐ wǔ dòng zhe yì tiáo sī dài

On stage, an actor is waving a silk ribbon in their hand.

Core concept

A barely perceptible filament that can exist as a real thread or as the smallest trace or chance of something abstract.

Common phrases

  • 丝绸之路sī chóu zhī lù

    Silk Road

  • 丝绸sī chóu

    silk fabric

  • 丝带sī dài

    silk ribbon

Similar words

线xiàn: A thin, long object shaped like a strand or wire.
纤维xiān wéi: A very fine natural or man-made fiber.
丝绸sī chóu: Thin, shiny cloth woven from silk.
发丝fā sī: One very fine strand of hair.

Definition in Chinese

既指可见的细线，也常作比喻表示极微小的程度或可能性，作为名词和量词搭配出现。jì zhǐ kě jiàn de xì xiàn yě cháng zuò bǐ yù biǎo shì jí wēi xiǎo de chéng dù huò kě néng xìng zuò wéi míng cí hé liàng cí dā pèi chū xiàn

Word origin

The modern character 丝 (sī, "thread") is a simplified form of an older character whose form represents fine silk fibers, linking the physical strand with the idea of something minute.

Usage tips

  • As a measure word, it highlights near-zero quantity rather than shape, so it can describe an abstract amount even when no physical strand is involved.

Other meanings

  • silknoun

Related words

Word lists with this word