生き糸いと

き

い

と

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

raw silk thread

Refers to silk thread in its natural, unprocessed state, before degumming or dyeing. Common in textile and historical contexts.

生き糸いとは絹きぬ織おり物ものの原げん料りょうです。
Raw silk thread is the raw material for silk fabric.
明めい治じ時じ代だい、日本にほんは生き糸いとの主しゅ要よう輸ゆ出しゅつ国こくだった。
During the Meiji period, Japan was a major exporter of raw silk thread.

See all 21 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉で生き糸いとを生せい産さんするto produce raw silk in a place
この地ち方ほうでは昔むかしから生き糸いとを生せい産さんしている。
This region has produced raw silk since long ago.
生き糸いとを輸ゆ出しゅつするto export raw silk
明めい治じ時じ代だい、日本にほんは生き糸いとを大たい量りょうに輸ゆ出しゅつした。
During the Meiji era, Japan exported large amounts of raw silk.
生き糸いとの価か格かくが上あがるthe price of raw silk rises
不ふ況きょうで生き糸いとの価か格かくが上あがっている。
The price of raw silk is rising due to the economic downturn.

Kanji

生life, genuine, birth
糸thread

Related words

絹きぬ糸いと
生糸 refers specifically to raw, unprocessed silk thread, while 絹糸 is the broader term covering both raw and processed/dyed silk thread.
蚕さん糸し
生糸 refers specifically to raw, unprocessed silk thread straight from the cocoon, whereas 蚕糸 is a broader term covering silk thread in general, including after some processing.

Counted with

梱こり
Trade counter for baled goods — raw silk, cloth.
筋すじN2
For long streak-like things — threads, rivers, roads, trails of light or tears (一筋の光).
本ほんN5
For long, thin objects (sticks, stems, wires, bottles); also 'pieces' like films, articles, and phone calls.

Built from

生き+糸いと

Etymology

Compound of 生 (ki, 'raw, unprocessed') + 糸 (ito, 'thread'). The reading きいと is a straightforward combination of the kun'yomi readings of the two kanji.