紬
pongee (a knotted silk cloth)
Readings
On'yomi
- チュウ
Kun'yomi
- つむぎ
- つむ.ぐ
Meaning
紬 centers on a specific type of silk fabric: pongee, which is made from knotted or hand-spun silk threads. The meaning is narrow and concrete, referring to the cloth itself.
Most common words using 紬
- 紬つむぎ
tsumugi; pongee; traditional rough-surfaced cloth woven from raw silk
- 大島紬おおしまつむぎ
Oshima tsumugi weave (type of pongee made in the Amami islands)
- 白紬しろつむぎ
white pongee
- 紬糸つむぎいと
tsumugi silk yarn; (spun) silk noil yarn
- 紬鯊つむぎはぜ
yellowfin toxic goby (Yongeichthys criniger); horny goby
- 結城紬ゆうきつむぎ
silk products produced near Yūki (using natural indigo dye); Yūki pongee
- 絹紬けんちゅう
pongee (unbleached silk)
Study
Etymology
紬 combines 糸 (thread/silk) with 由, which likely contributes the sound. The character was created to name a specific type of silk fabric.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 糸 is thread, and the right side 由 looks like a spool or a knot. Picture silk threads being knotted together on a spool to make pongee cloth.
Reading mnemonic
For チュウ, imagine chewing on a piece of pongee silk (don't actually do it!): chew -> チュウ, and the fabric is so soft it feels like you could chew it.