毛巾
máojīn · HSK 4
towel
🧻 毛 (hair/fur) + 巾 (cloth) = fuzzy cloth → towel
毛 means hair or fur, and 巾 is the radical for cloth or kerchief. A 毛巾 is literally a fuzzy/napped cloth — the soft terry-like fabric that makes a towel. The same 巾 shows up in 餐巾 (napkin) and 围巾 (scarf).
毛 — pictograph of hair/fur, 4 strokes
毛 is a pictograph showing a tuft of hair or animal fur, with strands fanning out from a base. The original oracle bone form depicted feathers or fur clearly, and the meaning broadened from 'hair/fur' to include 'wool,' 'down,' and figuratively 'tiny' or 'rough.' It also became a common surname.