繭 means “cocoon”

まゆ · mayu

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

まゆ, きぬ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ケン

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 18 strokes

The story

Under grass (艹), inside a wrapping (冂), a thread (糸) and an insect (虫): a silkworm sealed in its own silk. 繭 is a cocoon, boiled so its single long thread can be unwound, and 繭玉 are cocoon-shaped New Year ornaments hung on branches.

Used in 繭 (mayu, cocoon) and 繭玉 (mayudama, cocoon-shaped New Year ornament)

More from Silk & Sleeves

• 巾 cloth
• 織 weave
• 脱 take off
• 麻 hemp
• 錦 brocade
• 繊 fiber
• 履 put on (shoes)
• 縫 sew
• 裸 naked
• 扇 fan
• 羅 net
• 紡 spin (thread)

Learn 繭 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.