noun
kanji 'thread' radical at left
Refers to the radical 糸 when it appears on the left side of a kanji, as in 紙, 線, or 細.
「紙」の左側は糸偏です。
The left side of 紙 is the 'thread' radical.
noun
Colloquial term for the textile business, often used in industry contexts.
彼は糸偏で長年働いてきた。
He has worked in the textile industry for many years.
From 糸 (thread) + 偏 (left-side radical). The colloquial sense is a metonymic extension from the radical to the textile industry.