毛衣
máo yī · HSK 4
sweater
🧥🐑 毛衣 = hair/wool + clothing
毛 means hair or wool (animal fleece), and 衣 is the general word for clothing or garment. Together they literally spell out wool-clothing, the standard term for a knitted sweater.
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.