Skip to content
Kotomora

絹

silk

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · grade 6FrequencyTop 2,000Strokes13

Readings

On'yomi

  • ケン

Kun'yomi

  • きぬ

Meaning

絹 centers on silk as a material: the fine, lustrous fiber produced by silkworms and the fabric woven from it.

Most common words using 絹

20 of 56
  • 絹きぬ
    N4

    silk

  • 絹糸きぬいと

    silk thread; silk yarn

  • 正絹しょうけん

    pure silk

  • 絹ごしきぬごし

    filtering through silk cloth; straining through silk cloth

  • 絹織物きぬおりもの

    silk goods

  • 生絹すずし

    raw silk products

  • 絹布けんぷ

    silk; silk cloth

  • ビスコース人絹ビスコースじんけん

    viscose rayon

  • 人絹じんけん

    rayon; artificial silk

  • 人造絹糸じんぞうけんし

    rayon

  • 八丈絹はちじょうぎぬ

    plain-woven silk cloth produced on Hachijo Island (dyed with botanical pigments found on the island)

  • 垂れ絹たれぎぬ

    hanging silk; curtain; tapestry; veil

  • 富士絹ふじぎぬ

    Fuji silk

  • 平絹ひらぎぬ

    plain silk

  • 本絹ほんけん

    pure silk

  • 生絹きぎぬ

    raw silk (fabric)

  • 白絹しらぎぬ

    white silk

  • 篩絹ふるいぎぬ

    bolting cloth

  • 純絹じゅんけん

    pure silk

  • 素絹そけん

    coarse silk

Explore all words using 絹 →

Study

Etymology

絹 combines 糸 (thread) with 肙, which likely contributes the sound and may relate to a small worm or insect, fitting the silkworm origin of silk.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side is thread 糸, and the right side 肙 looks like a little worm with a mouth 口 and body 月. Picture a silkworm spinning fine thread to make silk.

Reading mnemonic

For ケン, imagine a silkworm named Ken spinning silk: Ken -> ケン, and his thread becomes the finest silk.