Meaning
绣 refers to the art and craft of embroidery, decorating fabric with needle and thread to create designs and patterns. As a verb, it means to embroider or stitch decorative patterns. As a noun, it refers to the embroidered work itself.
Usage
Commonly used in contexts of traditional Chinese handicrafts and clothing decoration. Often appears in compounds like 刺绣 (cìxiù, embroidery) or 绣花 (xiùhuā, to embroider flowers). The character frequently describes traditional Chinese embroidery techniques that have been practiced for thousands of years.
Examples
- 01她在手帕上绣了一朵牡丹花。.She embroidered a peony flower on the handkerchief.
- 02这件旗袍上的绣工非常精美。.The embroidery work on this qipao is exquisite.
Measure words
- 幅一幅绣品
- 件一件绣花衣服
Common collocations
- 绣花to embroider flowers
- 刺绣embroidery (the craft)
- 绣球embroidered ball
- 苏绣Suzhou embroidery
Origin
The traditional form 繡 contains the silk radical 糸, indicating its connection to thread and textile work, combined with a phonetic component. This reflects embroidery's historical importance in Chinese silk craftsmanship.