毛巾 (máojīn) — towel

HSK 3 | noun | towel, face cloth

毛巾 (máojīn)

毛巾 means towel. It refers to the cloth used for drying the body after bathing or washing. 毛 means hair or fuzz (referring to the fluffy terry texture), and 巾 means cloth or kerchief. In Chinese hotels it is standard to find 毛巾 (face or hand towels) and 浴巾 (bath towels) separately in the bathroom. In daily life many Chinese households have dedicated 毛巾 for the face and separate ones for the body, as hygiene habits involve keeping these distinct.

Meanings

  1. [noun] Towel; a cloth for drying hands, face, or body.

Example Sentences

洗完手要用毛巾擦干。 Xǐ wán shǒu yào yòng máojīn cā gān. After washing your hands, dry them with a towel.

我忘了带毛巾去游泳池。 Wǒ wàng le dài máojīn qù yóuyǒngchí. I forgot to bring my towel to the swimming pool.

请给我一条干净的毛巾。 Qǐng gěi wǒ yī tiáo gānjìng de máojīn. Please give me a clean towel.

酒店里的毛巾又软又厚。 Jiǔdiàn lǐ de máojīn yòu ruǎn yòu hòu. The towels in the hotel are both soft and thick.

Collocations

Collocation Meaning
一条毛巾 one towel (measure word: 条)
浴巾 bath towel
手巾 hand towel
干毛巾 dry towel
用毛巾擦 to wipe with a towel

Memory Hook

毛 (fuzz/hair) plus 巾 (cloth). A towel is a fuzzy cloth. Feel the soft, hairy texture of a terry towel in your hands.