棉 meaning and stroke order
Generic term for cotton or kapok; cotton; padded or quilted with cotton
How to write 棉, stroke by stroke
12 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 棉
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- generic term for cotton or kapok
- cotton
- padded or quilted with cotton
How 棉 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Silk 帛 picked off a tree 木.
Radical: 木 (tree), shared by 388 characters on this site.
How to remember 棉
棉 is a tree 木 (mù) next to silk 帛 (bó). Picture soft, silky fluff you can pick off a plant, and you have cotton.
棉 usually appears in compounds rather than alone, such as 棉花 (miánhuā) cotton and 棉衣 (miányī) padded clothing. It also describes things made of or filled with cotton. Example: 这件衬衫是纯棉的。(Zhè jiàn chènshān shì chún mián de.) This shirt is pure cotton.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 棉 (mián) with 绵 (mián), which has the silk radical 纟 and appears in words like 连绵 (liánmián) continuous and 绵羊 (miányáng) sheep. Use 棉 for the cotton fiber and fabric, and 绵 for softness or continuity in other set words.
Common words with 棉
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 棉花 | miánhuā | cotton | HSK 7-9 |
| 卫生棉 | wèishēngmián | sterilized absorbent cotton wool (used for dressings or cleansing wounds); (Tw) sanitary n | |
| 木棉 | mùmián | cotton tree (Bombax ceiba) |
棉 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 棉
How many strokes are in 棉?
棉 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 棉 mean?
棉 (mián) means generic term for cotton or kapok; cotton; padded or quilted with cotton. A common word with it is 棉花 (miánhuā), meaning "cotton".
How do you pronounce 棉?
棉 is pronounced mián, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 棉?
The radical of 棉 is 木, which carries the idea of "tree". Dictionaries list 棉 under this radical.
Is 棉 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 棉 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
How do you say cotton candy in Chinese?
Cotton candy is 棉花糖 (miánhuātáng), literally cotton sugar. The same word is also used for marshmallows.
What does 木棉 mean, and is it the same as cotton?
木棉 (mùmián) is the cotton tree, Bombax ceiba, known for its red flowers in southern China. Its fluffy fiber is kapok, which is different from the cotton made from the cotton plant, 棉花 (miánhuā).