The Chinese Radical: 糸


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Meaning
thread    糸

Explanation It has in its upper part the radical "short thread" .

Used in these characters:
JLPT HSK 1
connection, link, system, relation

Top: accent for the emphasis, bottom: thread
An emphasized thread for: the connections in a system.
JLPT HSK 2
to supply, provide, for the benefit of, to do sth (for sb)
gěi, jǐ
Left: thread 纟/, right: to meet, to fit (... the lid on the pot .)
A thread that fits was supplied.
JLPT HSK 2
red, bonus, popular, revolutionary
hóng
Left: thread 纟/, right: work(er)
(Construction sites have red tapes to cordon off hazardous areas:) The thread of the worker is red.
JLPT HSK 2
medicine, drug, cure
yào
Top: plant , bottom: promise, treaty (The thread 糹/ at the ladle reminds to the promise.)
This plant gives the promise to be: medicine.
JLPT HSK 2
paper, classifier for documents,...
zhǐ
Left: thread 糹/ (here: fiber), right: clan/family name (Here: see as ladle or scooping grill for the paper production) [Family = A distorted person = = together with "Plus +" as multiplier makes a family.]
Use cellulose fibers and a grill for making paper. (OR: Threads become one 'family' in: paper.)
JLPT HSK 2
to continue, to carry on
shào
Left: thread 纟/, right: to call together/summon (... with a sword and the mouth )
Endlessly like a thread the summons are continued.
JLPT HSK 2
tired, exhausted, continuous, repeat, implicate
léi, lěi, lèi
Top: field , bottom: thread
(Working in fields that are too long is never ending:) If the fields are as long as threads, we will continously be exhausted.
JLPT HSK 3
end, finish, death
zhōng
Left: thread 纟/, right: winter (With an upturned foot on the ice - it's winter)
The thread (of life) comes in winter to an end with the death.
JLPT HSK 3
to tie, to bind, knot, bond, to bear fruit, to produce
jié, jiē
Left: thread 纟/, right: luck/joy (simplificaton of , where the scholar has beans in the mouth and is happy.)
Threads of joy tie us.
JLPT HSK 3
rank, grade, level, step

Left: thread 纟/, right: to reach, arrive (A hand stretched out to reach sth.丿
The thread (i.e. at the uniform) shows the reached rank/grade.
JLPT HSK 3
to train, practice, drill, to perfect (one's skill)
liàn
Left: thread 纟/, right: variation of east 东/ (Behind a tree the sun rises in the east)
(With endurance, like a long) thread and from the early morning (= the sun is still behind the trees) we already shall do our training.
绿
JLPT HSK 3
green

Left: thread 纟/ (here: plant fiber), right: diary, record ("to squeeze out" = A pressing hand lets liquid drop out)
When plant fibers 纟are squeezed by hand , the drops of liquid are: green.
JLPT HSK 3
merit, accomplishment

Left: thread 纟/, right: responsibility (... for growing plants and money /貝)
Threads have the responsibility (i.e. in woven form) to provide a merit.
JLPT HSK 4
continue, proceed with, replenish

Left: thread 纟/, right: sell (For ten [coins] the hat of the leader is sold) [leader = The big one with protruding eyes ]
Threads are endless, such that the sale proceeds continously.
JLPT HSK 4
tight, strict, near, short (of money)
jǐn
Top: knife , again (image of a hand), bottom: thread, string
If you need a knife in your hand (to get free) from the threads, they are tight and strict.
JLPT HSK 4
to disappear, extinct, to cut short, by no means
jué
Left: thread 纟/, right: color (The bent and the slumped person have colorful sex)
(Dyed fabrics will fade:) From the threads the color will disappear.
JLPT HSK 4
record, era, period, order, discipline

Left: thread 纟/, right: self (Following the winding path I find myself.) (By knots in a thread you can record information like distances.)
The thread itself (by the knots) records periods.
JLPT HSK 4
thin, slender, finely particulate, delicate

Left: thread 纟/, right: field (Is understood here as a large rice field with four inner water or flooding areas separated by dams or paths )
Like threads are the dams within the rice field: so narrow.
JLPT HSK 4
contract, treaty, approximately
yāo, yuē
Left: thread 纟/, right: ladle
The thread at the ladle reminds to the contract.
线
JLPT HSK 4
line, thread, string, wire
xiàn
Left: thread 纟/, right: (two halberds , here: draw one line with a halberd)
Like one thread and drawn with a halberd is this one: line.
JLPT HSK 4
to go on with, to continue, to succeed, to inherit, then

Left: thread 纟/, right: angle , rice
As long as a thread, we will manage with the rice in the corner to go on with.
JLPT HSK 5
to receive, accept, enjoy, bring into, to pay

Left: thread 纟/, right: inside (Here: a thread around a person for marking)
A thread wound around the person for marking a: receiving, accepting or paying.
JLPT HSK 5
numerous, confused, disorderly
fēn
Left: thread 纟/, right: divide (... with the sword in 8 pieces)
Threads that are divided become numerous and are in a disorder.
JLPT HSK 5
to weave, plait, organize, compose
biān
Left: thread 纟/, right: flat (Sliding doors 戸 and writing tablets are flat.)
If threads are laid as flatly, as doors or tablets are, it is weaving, plaiting or composing.
JLPT HSK 5
to preserve, to maintain, to hold together
wéi
Left: thread 纟/, right: bird
The thread at the bird will preserve and keep it. (against flying away)
JLPT HSK 5
in great numbers, miscellaneous, many
fán
Top: quick, nimble 敏 (Every strike 攵/ must be quick), bottom: thread
(Threads were made of vegetable fibers [like flax / linum] by strikes.) Every strike on the threads stands for a great number.
JLPT HSK 5
shrink, to withdraw, pull back, abbreviation
suō
Left: thread 纟/, right: lodge/hostel 宿 (Under the roof persons in the hundreds in the lodge.)
The threads (of bed linen) in the hostel will (after washing) shrink.
JLPT HSK 5
beginning (of silk cocoon), clue, introduction

Left: thread 纟/, right: person, the one who (old man on the sun )
This thread is needed by the person as the beginning of the cocoon.
JLPT HSK 5
to sum up, to put together, comprehensive
zōng
Left: thread 纟/, right: religion/teaching (The 'roof' over the altar is the religion.)
Threads shall, according to the teaching, be put together.
JLPT HSK 5
to coil (thread), winding, to rotate around, twisting
rào
Left: thread 纟/, right: Emperor Tang Yao (vari. of halberd and table )
The thread around the halberd on the table should be rolled / coiled up.
JLPT HSK 5
context, to gather, to unite, whole
tǒng
Left: thread 纟/, right: satisfy, to fill 充 (The newborn baby [= child upside down, because it comes with the head first] flounders with his legs to be 'filled' [= fed] and thus be satisfied. (cf.流)
Threads are satisfying if they are in a context. (i.e. woven)
JLPT HSK 5
purple, violet, amethyst

Top: this (He stopped and sat down: This person.), below: thread
Stop at the person with the threads in purple.
JLPT HSK 5
silk, thread, trace

Top: 2x thread 纟/, below: one
If the threads are fine like a 'one', it's silk.
JLPT HSK 5
guiding principle, key link, main point, class (taxonomy)
gāng
Left: thread 纟/, right: hill /岡
Threads and equally also hills can be guiding points/principles.
JLPT HSK 5
rope
shéng
Left: thread 纟/, right: toad 黾 (The animal on the field with the long tongue . HERE: At the rope-maker the rope is clamped in two holding jaws , for being twisted.)
Threads are clamped twice (and then twisted) to make a rope .
JLPT HSK 5
rope, to search, to demand, to ask
suǒ
From top: ten , cover , thread
Under ten layers of threads, I search a rope.
JLPT HSK 5
element, essence, nature, vegetarian, constituent, ever

Top: growing plant , below: thread (= fiber)
Growing plants comprise fibers which are their elements (constituents).
JLPT HSK 5
group, team, to organize

Left: thread 纟/, right: further/moreover (A pile of stones [= a stone cairn] where moreover stones are added.)
Take threads 纟(around the) pile of stones to organize them as a group.
JLPT HSK 5
relaxed, unhurried, sluggish, to defer
huǎn
Left: thread 纟/, right: to help (a hand reaches down to give a rope [with two knots] and another hand takes this help.)
If you have a thread (a rope?) for helping you can be relaxed.
JLPT HSK 5
to weave, to knit
zhī
Left: thread 纟/, right: single (one mouth of eight is just alone)
The thread 纟 shall into the hole , even twice , when weaving or kniting.
JLPT HSK 5
net, network, be in contact, net-like
lào, luò
Left: thread 纟/, right: every (Sitting cross-legged on a cushion does everybody)
It all depends on the thread, on every: in a net.
JLPT HSK 5
pure, simple, unmixed, genuine
chún
Left: thread 纟/, right: barracks (On fertile ground, where growing shoots pierced the ground they built a barracks.)
Threads made of plants and sprouds are pure and unmixed.
JLPT HSK 5
(light) silk
chóu
Left: thread 纟/, right: circumference (A framed luck , sets its circumference) [joy = simplif. of happy , where the scholar has beans in the mouth and is happy]
(Here "encircle" in the sense of put on clothes) The thread that encircles you is the silk.
JLPT HSK 6
button, traffic hub, knot, link
niǔ
Left: thread 纟/, right: ugly (Here: button + in buttonhole ユ)
Connected with a thread at the buttonholes is: the button making a knot.
JLPT HSK 6
line, trace, mark, decoration
wén
Left: thread 纟/, right: text, language (Image of a folding table for writing a text.)
Threads and texts are in lines or traces.
JLPT HSK 6
picture, to draw, paint, drawing
huì
Left: thread 纟/, right: to meet (When persons are speaking together as "two noses " they meet.)
(developed from an embroidered picture) The threads meet in a picture.
JLPT HSK 6
to hand over, transfer, to seize, capture
jiǎo
Left: thread 纟/, right: white , release (In his side he was striked 攵 until he released) cf.
(He wants only the best quality) He wants threads that are white and beaten in one direction (= cleanly spun) to be transferred to him.
JLPT HSK 6
fate, predestined affinity, karma, cause, margin, hem, edge
yuán
Left: thread 纟/, right: 彖 (mouth and pig [cf. ])
Like a thread through the mouth of a pig (which is directing it), we are lead by our fate.
JLPT HSK 6
to sew, to stitch, seam, narrow slit
féng, fèng
Left: thread 纟/, right: to encounter (The movements of a bee 蜂 [= from blossom to blossom] mean: to encounter.) [here: 'bee' 蜂 without insect ]
Threads encounter when sewing a seam.
JLPT HSK 6
to wind around, spool, coil, to involve
chán
广
Left: thread 纟/, right: building 广, village (here: spool in a bearing )
Threads can be wound (within the building) onto a spool.
JLPT HSK 6
boatman's tow-rope, fine, delicate, minute
qiàn, xiān
Left: thread 纟/, right: 1000
Threads, namely 1000, build a tow-rope.
JLPT HSK 6
rivulet =small river, creek

Left: water , right: What? WHERE? 奚 (The down-reaching hand wants to fish with the thread something big , but: What? Where?)
To get to the water, you need to reach down and it seems like a 'big thread', then it is a rivulet.
JLPT HSK 6
to spin (cotton or hemp etc)
fǎng
Left: thread 纟/, right: direction/square (here: spool)
Bring the thread in a common direction, when: spinning.
JLPT HSK 6
to tie, bind or fasten together, to kidnap
bǎng
Left: thread 纟/, right: nation, country (If there is abundance [=strongly growing plant] in the villages, it will develop a nation)
By the thread of our nation, we are tied and bound together.
JLPT HSK 6
to embroider, embroidery
xiù
Left: thread 纟/, right: outstanding (Grain plants as big as a pregnancy belly are: outstanding!)
Threads are outstanding in: an embroidery.
JLPT HSK 6
gentleman, member of gentry, girdle, tie
shēn
Left: threat 纟/, right: explain, speak (A mouth with a big "plus" + for the outgoing surplus when explaining.)
(He has good cloths) The threads (of the cloths) speak/explain the gentleman of the gentry.
JLPT HSK 6
to bind, bondage, to tie

Left: thread 纟/, right: annonce (just now with skillful hand )
Use the thread in a fight 搏 [= just now with skillful hands ] to bind sb.
JLPT HSK 6
inner strength, contain/collect, accumulate, hold in store
yùn
Top: grass , bottom: 缊 (thread 纟/, sun , bowl )
The grass has fibers/threads which, when viewed in light, are the bowl for inner strength.
JLPT HSK 6
vertical, longitudinal, north-south, lengthwise
zòng
Left: thread 纟/, right: follow, obey (here: warp threads = the vertical threads on the loom)
The threads as warp threads are vertical.
JLPT HSK 6
woolen, velvet, silk
róng
Left: thread 纟/, right: military (... with the [men] with halberds )
The threads (= uniforms) at the military are woolen.
JLPT HSK 6
closely joined, connection, knot

Left: thread 纟/, right: emperor (He stands and is covered with cloth )
Threads have the "imperial" task to make: a close joining.
JLPT HSK 6
latitude, woof (horizontal thread in weaving), weft
wěi
Left: thread 纟/, right: leather (Two layers are separated with special sword to make leather - here: three horizontal 三 weft and a warp at the loom)
The thread as a weft is horizontal like the latitude. (longitude = 经)
JLPT HSK 6
to correct, to entangle, to investigate
jiū
Left: thread 纟/, right: intertwined (image of twisted threads)
(At the loom:) Threads that are twisted should be corrected.
JLPT HSK 6
to sew, stitch together, connect, embellish
zhuì
Left: thread 纟/, right: 叕 (4x hand , here: embroidered threads)
Threads are embroidered when: Sewing together or embellishing.
JLPT HSK 6
continuous, to intepret

Left: thread 纟/, right: vertical (hand above the earth ) [cf. longitude 经]
The thread that is vertically (at the loom) is the continuous one.
JLPT HSK 6
suck
suō
Left: mouth , right: 索 (ten , cover , thread )
The mouth can cover from above (tenfold??) and it appears thread-like (when using a drinking-straw?) to suck.
JLPT HSK 6
tangled, disorderly, confused, chaotic
wěn
Top: text/language (Image of a folding table for writing a text.), bottom: thread
Texts (or sentences) that are thread-long are tangled.
JLPT HSK 6
to seize, order or search to arrest sb.

Left: thread 纟/, right: 咠 (mouth , ear )
Like threads are the (inquiries) from mouths to ears when wanting to seize sb.
JLPT HSK 6
to plait, a braid or queue
biàn
Twice: bitter, sharp (tattoo needle), middle thread 纟/
If two sharp threads stick out, they can be plaited.
JLPT no HSK
to twist (strands into a thread), to wring
jiǎo
Left: thread 纟/, right: exchange, crossing (six crosses )
(When making a rope) Threads come into an exchange, when they are twisted together.
JLPT no HSK
distant, remote, detailed, Myanmar (缅甸)
miǎn
Left: thread 纟/, right: face, surface (One eye in a frame around the eyes stands for a face, mask (or in general for:) surfaces)
The threads appear like (a single) surface: from the distance.
JLPT no HSK
thin silk fabric
juàn
Left: thread 纟/, right: small worm (The head is as big as the body /)
The thread of the small worm becomes a silk fabric.
JLPT no HSK
spiral shell, screw thread, spiral
luó
Left: insect , right: tired, exhausted 累 (If the fields are long as threads , they will exhaust us)
It comes from the insect and repeats until exhaustion: the helix of the spiral shell.
JLPT no HSK
continuous, silk floss, soft, weak
mián
Left: thread 纟/, right: silk (= white cloth )
The thread of the silk is continous.
JLPT no HSK
to pacify, soothe, to appease
suí
Left: thread 纟/, right: to settle sth. adequately 妥 (The hands of the women settle the suitable)
(When taming animals) Threads settle adequately the: pacifying.
JLPT no HSK
heavy duty rope, cable, hawser, to moor
lǎn
Left: thread 纟/, right: to look at (The cut bamboo is what I am looking /見 at.)
Actually just a thread, but like a cut bamboo (tree)! That's how it looks like: The heavy duty rope.
JLPT no HSK
cotton yarn, muslin, gauze
shā
Left: thread 纟/, right: few, little (A small stroke is too few)
If the threads are few, it is a yarn or a loose gauze.
JLPT no HSK
thread, locks (of hair), detailed

Left: thread 纟/, right: to collect (Rice grains are by women : collected)
Threads, that are collected [= aligned] stand for: threads or locks (of hair).
JLPT no HSK
spacious, wide, generous, ample, well-off, to grip
chuò
Left: thread 纟/, right: excellent ([Before the day happens:] Fortune telling early at the morning is excellent)
Threads are excellent when they are spacious (=long?).
JLPT no HSK
to stretch, taut, to tie, to bind, to split
bēng, běng, béng
Left: thread 纟/, right: friends (Two bodies / next to each other are friends.)
The thread that binds the friends is stretched.
JLPT no HSK
badge, emblem, insignia, logo
huī
Left: to go , right: mountain , system, connection 系, strike 攵/ (a hand with a stick ) (stick in a hand)
Who climbs a mountain in connection that he already needs a stick in his hand, gets a badge for it.
JLPT no HSK
satin
duàn
Left: thread 纟/, right: section/segment (The staircase 三 in the cliff were cut in sections with a battle axe by hand )
With threads and made in segments: Satin.
JLPT no HSK
cotton wadding, fig. padding, raw silk or cotton

Top: as such (Women's mouths are as such.), bottom:
As such threads are usable as: cotton wadding.
JLPT no HSK
to burst open, rend, open seam
zhàn
Left: thread 纟/, right: to settle, to determine 定 (Under the roof , everything is correct , if things are settled.)
(When the tension becomes too big:) The thread determines when it will burst open.
JLPT no HSK
to trip, to stumble, to hinder
bàn
Left: thread 纟/, right: half (A knife cuts a birthday cake with candles in half.)
(Horses get ropes [=hobbles] around their fetlocks against running away) If the thread is only half, it is hindering.
JLPT no HSK
damask, thin silk
líng
Left: thread 纟/, right: slowly, dawdle (Who walks over the earth with legs that are crossed , is dawdling.)
(Its production takes a long time:) The tread that dawdles (at the production) is: damask.
JLPT no HSK
mu (Greek letter μ), to wind round, bind
miào, móu, miù
Left: thread 纟/, right: sound of the wind (At feather or the beard you feel the wind. [ = person with beard ])
A (freely hanging) thread can by the sound of the wind, wind around sth.
JLPT no HSK
mule
luó
Left: horse /馬, right: exhausted 累 (If the fields are long as threads , they will exhaust us)
The "horse" working until being exhausted, is the mule.
JLPT no HSK
what?, where?, why?

From top: a hand reaching down , thread 纟, big
The down-reaching hand wants to fish with the thread something big , but: What?, Where?
JLPT no HSK
to compile, edit, bun (of hair)
zuǎn
Top: calculate (I use the bamboo abacus with both hands to calculate.), bottom: thread
You have to calculate and need threads (here: package strings), when: compiling [e.g. deliveries].
JLPT no HSK
to shout, to bawl, to yell (to urge on an animal)
yāo
Left: mouth , right: thread 纟/
Out of the mouth like (a single) thread: The shout.
JLPT no HSK
govern, normal nature of man, laws and rules

From top: Part of spoool 互, rice , thread , two hands
When you (wrap) on a spool some rice grains using a thread and both hands, you 'govern'.
JLPT no HSK
sincere, honest, guileless

Left: feelings , right: element, essence 素 (Growing plants consist of fibers which are their elements.)
The feeling, that is essential is to be: sincere.
JLPT no HSK
to hold, to grip, to grasp
zuàn
Left: hand , right: to compile, edit 纂 (You have to calculate and need threads , when: compiling [e.g. deliveries])
The hand that compiles, has a hold on it.
JLPT no HSK
wind around
yíng
From top: plant , cover , thread
A plant that covers (the ground) is like a thread that is: winding around.
JLPT no HSK
to repair, to mend, to rewrite, to transcribe
shàn
Left: thread 纟/, right: benevolent, goodness (A sheep standing with a gaping mouth is good and benevolent)
The thread is benevolent for: repairing.
JLPT no HSK
to inherit, descendant, heir, posterity
yìn
Outside: channel |, middle: thread 纟/, bodypart, meat /
A channel for the thread of the own body (= bloodline), when: inheriting.
JLPT no HSK
purple-red, capital of the Jin State
jiàng
Left: thread 纟/, right: "vertical stick" 夅 (Vertical with an extra stroke as a stick plunged into the ground .)
(As a boundary marker?) The thread at the vertical stick is: purple-red.

Radicals are shown here that are similar either in appearance or meaning.

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