纸
zhǐ · HSK 2
paper
📄 纸 = 糹(silk) + 氏 (zhǐ phonetic); early paper from silk fibers
The 糹 radical marks textile origin — ancient Chinese paper was made from pounded silk and plant fibers before pulp methods. 氏 supplies the zhǐ sound. Same character in 报纸 (newspaper) and 纸巾 (tissue).
纸 — silk radical 糹 + clan 氏
纸 means 'paper.' The silk radical 糹 reflects the early use of silk-like fibers in writing materials before true paper existed. 氏 ('clan') serves as the phonetic component, hinting at the sound zhǐ. Paper was traditionally credited to Cai Lun in the Han dynasty.