线
xiàn · HSK 3
thread
🧵 线 = 纟(silk radical) + 戋 (qiān, small/thin) — a thin silk strand
The 纟 radical on the left marks silk/thread words. The right side 戋 hints at something small or slender, fitting a thin strand of thread, string, or wire.
线 — silk radical 纟 + 戋 (jiān, phonetic)
线 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The silk radical 纟 signals the meaning 'thread' or 'string,' while 戋 hints at the sound. Originally referring to silk thread, its meaning broadened to any thin line, wire, or route. The traditional form is 線.