棉 mián — cotton
这件棉衣又软又暖和。Zhè jiàn mián yī yòu ruǎn yòu nuǎn huo.This cotton coat is soft and warm.
Common words: 棉花 (mián hua)、棉被 (mián bèi)、棉条 (mián tiáo)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "cotton"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "cotton", including 棉 (mián), 绵 (mián). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "cotton" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 棉 (mián), 绵 (mián) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters happen to share the reading mián, so lean on the words and written forms to tell them apart. The example sentences further down show how 棉 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 棉 miáncottonUseful words: 棉花, 棉被
- 绵 miáncotton; incessant; soft; downyUseful words: 海绵, 连绵
Common words for these 2 "cotton" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 棉 (mián) — so "cotton" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
棉花mián huacotton棉被mián bèicomforter; quilt棉条mián tiáo(textiles) sliver; tampon海绵hǎi mián(zoology) sea sponge; (esp.) dried sea sponge; sponge (made from polyester or cellulose etc); foam rubber连绵lián miáncontinuous; unbroken; uninterrupted; extending forever into the distance (of mountain range, river etc)绵子mián zi(dial.) silk floss
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "cotton".
绵 mián — cotton; incessant; soft; downy
这条河绵延几千里，养育了两岸的人民。Zhè tiáo hé mián yán jǐ qiān lǐ, yǎng yù le liǎng àn de rén mín.This river stretches for thousands of li, nourishing the people on both banks.
Common words: 海绵 (hǎi mián)、连绵 (lián mián)、绵子 (mián zi)
All 2 characters
Open 棉、绵 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.