How to Write 纩 (kuàng) — Meaning “Silk floss”

Imagine a wide (广) piece of silk (纟) being fluffed up into soft, cotton-like silk floss. The "wide" part reminds you that the floss spreads out, covering a large area. This visual of silk expanding helps link the shape to its meaning.

Write the left radical 纟 first as three strokes: a tight zigzag, a small hook, and a long horizontal line. Then write the right side 广 starting with a dot, then a horizontal stroke, and finally a left-falling diagonal. Keep the left side narrow and the right side slightly wider, with the diagonal of 广 extending down past the left side.

纩 means silk floss (soft padding), while 纠 (jiū) means to twist or correct, and 纡 (yū) means to bend or circuitous. Visually, 纩 has a right side 广 (wide), 纠 has 丩 (twisted), and 纡 has 于 (at). In usage, 纩 is rare and specific to wadding or quilts, whereas 纠 and 纡 are more common in formal or literary contexts.

纩 is an ancient word for silk floss used to stuff quilts or winter clothing, but it is rarely used in daily conversation today. It appears in classical idioms like 纩息 (dying breath, referring to the last faint breath compared to thin silk floss) and in historical textile descriptions. You may encounter it in literature or when studying traditional Chinese clothing and bedding.

Common words containing 纩 include: 絮纩 (xù kuàng) — silk or cotton wadding; 纩息 (kuàng xī) — Dying breath; 纩被 (kuàng bèi) — Silk-floss quilt.