丝 (sī): silk; thread; fiber

Measure Word

一根丝 gēn

Meanings

1 silk; thread; fiber
2 a tiny amount; a trace

Characters

丝

si

silk; thread; a trace

Examples

蜘蛛吐出了一根丝。

Zhīzhū tǔchū le yì gēn sī.

The spider spun out a thread of silk.

她脸上露出了一丝微笑。

Tā liǎn shàng lùchū le yì sī wēixiào.

A trace of a smile appeared on her face.

中国是丝的故乡。

Zhōngguó shì sī de gùxiāng.

China is the homeland of silk.

Tips

culture

On Chinese internet, 屌丝 (diǎosī) became one of the most viral slang terms of the 2010s — a self-deprecating label for ordinary young men with no money or status, roughly 'loser.' Despite its crude origin, millions proudly adopted the label as anti-elitist humor.

history

丝 is the origin of the English word 'silk,' borrowed through Greek and Latin from Chinese. The Silk Road (丝绸之路) was named after China's most famous export.