真綿 (まわた) Japanese meaning | KotomoraFreq.FrequencyTop 100,000 Expressions
真綿で首を絞めるtorment by slow degrees; torture slowly; drag things out; reproach in a roundabout way
Etymology
真 (ま, 'true') + 綿 (わた, 'cotton' or 'wadding'), indicating genuine silk wadding as opposed to cotton wadding.