紗線 / 纱线
shāxiàn
The general Chinese word for yarn, the fiber strand used for knitting or weaving, is 紗線 / 纱线 (shāxiàn). If unsure, use 紗線 / 纱线. Wiktionary also lists 紗 / 纱 (shā) and 毛線 / 毛线 (máoxiàn).
Meaning: fiber strand for knitting or weaving (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 紗線 / 纱线 | shāxiàn |
| 紗 / 纱 | shā |
| 毛線 / 毛线 | máoxiàn |
紗線 / 纱线 refers to yarn in a general or technical sense, as in spinning and textile production. For the yarn you knit with, 毛線 / 毛线 (máoxiàn) is the word people actually use.
Which one should you use?
紗線 / 纱线 is the general or technical term. 毛線 / 毛线 means wool or thick knitting yarn and is used in both mainland China and Taiwan. The single character 紗 / 纱 (shā) can mean the yarn itself, but it is also the common word for gauze or a thin, sheer fabric. 针织线 specifically means knitting yarn.
How do you pronounce it?
紗線 / 纱线 is pronounced shāxiàn.
What mistakes should you avoid?
When talking about knitting as a hobby, speakers almost always say 毛線 rather than the more technical 紗線, as in 用毛線編織, to knit with yarn.
Did you know?
- In Chinese, the concept of 'connection' or 'relationship' is often expressed using characters that contain the same 糸 radical found in 紗線 / 纱线.
- The character 紗 / 纱 is a phono-semantic compound that combines the radical for 'thread' with the character 沙, which means 'sand'.
- While 毛線 / 毛线 literally translates to 'hair line', it is used for all types of knitting yarn regardless of whether the material is actually wool.
Examples in context
- 请问，毛线在哪里卖？Excuse me, where can I find yarn?
- 你知道哪里有好质量的毛线吗？Do you know where I can get good quality yarn?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yarn” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 紗, CC BY-SA 4.0.
