纨 (wán): fine white silk

Meanings

1 fine white silk
2 delicate silk fabric

Characters

纨

wán

fine white silk

Examples

古代只有富家才穿得纨做的衣服。

Gǔdài zhǐyǒu fùjiā cái chuān de wán zuò de yīfu.

In ancient times only the wealthy could wear clothes of fine silk.

纨绔子弟整天游手好闲。

Wánkùzǐdì zhěngtiān yóushǒuhàoxián.

A pampered rich kid does nothing all day but idle around.

Tips

culture

Best known in 纨绔子弟, a spoiled son of a rich family. 纨绔 was fine-silk trousers, once a mark of idle wealth, so the phrase came to mean a pampered good-for-nothing.

Components

radical

纟 sī

silk; thread

The silk radical, a left-side form of 糸. It marks this as a kind of fabric, here fine white silk.

phonetic

丸 wán

pellet; ball

Supplies the sound, 丸 giving wán directly. It carries no meaning here; it is purely the phonetic part of this silk character.

Stroke Order

纨 wán

Related Words

纨绔子弟 wánkùzǐdì #25,469

rich good-for-nothing / spoiled son of a wealthy family / dandy / playboy from a rich household

丝绸 sīchóu HSK 7-9 #10,015

silk; silk fabric

细 xì HSK 4 #5,129

thin; slender; fine / delicate; detailed; careful

致 zhì HSK 7-9 #4,182

to send; to deliver / to cause; to result in / fine; delicate

罚款 fákuǎn HSK 5 #9,515

to fine (impose a monetary penalty) / fine; penalty (money)

佳 jiā #4,388

beautiful; fine / good; excellent

薄 báo HSK 4 #5,281

thin (of flat objects: paper, fabric, slices) / light; weak (of flavor, color, density) / cold; indifferent (of manner)

罚 fá HSK 5 #3,645

to punish; to penalize / to fine (monetary penalty)

良好 liánghǎo HSK 4 #3,447

good; fine / favorable

素 sù HSK 7-9 #3,364

raw silk / plain / vegetarian / element