纺 (fǎng) · to spin (yarn, thread), to weave thread from fiber

Meanings

1 to spin (yarn, thread)
2 to weave thread from fiber
3 fine woven silk fabric

Characters

纺

fǎng

to spin (thread)

Examples

HSK 7-9

奶奶从前在乡下纺线织布。

Nǎinai cóngqián zài xiāngxia fǎng xiàn zhībù.

Grandma used to spin thread and weave cloth in the countryside.

HSK 7-9

这种棉花容易纺成线。

Zhè zhǒng miánhuā róngyì fǎng chéng xiàn.

This kind of cotton is easy to spin into thread.

Tips

memory

The radical 纟 (the simplified form of 糸 'silk thread') signals 'thread / textile' - same family as 织 'weave', 编 'braid', 绣 'embroider', 线 'thread'. The phonetic 方 gives the sound.

usage

Rarely seen alone today; usually appears in compounds: 纺织 'textiles', 纺线 'spin thread', 纺纱 'spin yarn', 纺锤 'spindle'. As a noun ('fine silk fabric') it appears in product names like 杭纺 (Hangzhou silk).

Components

radical

纟 sī

silk; thread (radical form of 糸)

Left silk radical - the simplified side-form of 糸, a skein of twisted threads. The indexing radical, anchoring 纺 in the textile family alongside 织 (weave), 线 (thread), 绸 (silk), 棉 (cotton). Spinning fibres into yarn is the very first step of every other 纟 word.

phonetic

方 fāng

square; direction

Right 方 supplies the sound - fāng shifting to fǎng with a tone change. 方 itself originally depicted a plough handle, also a square. Same phonetic links 纺 with 防 (defend), 房 (house), 访 (visit), 仿 (imitate). Chosen here purely for the sound, not the meaning.