生糸(きいと)

きいと
noun
raw silk
clothingmaterials
1. raw silk; unprocessed silk thread
Silk thread reeled directly from silkworm cocoons before it is refined, dyed, or woven.
生糸(きいと)は蚕(かいこ)から作(つく)られる。
Raw silk is made from silkworms.
この町(まち)は昔(むかし)生糸(きいと)の生産(せいさん)で栄(さか)えた。
This town once prospered from raw silk production.
明治(めいじ)時代(じだい)、生糸(きいと)は日本(にほん)の重要(じゅうよう)な輸出品(ゆしゅつひん)だった。
In the Meiji era, raw silk was an important Japanese export.

Composed of 生(き) (raw, unprocessed) + 糸(いと) (thread). Raw silk is reeled from cocoons and later refined into the finished silk used for fabric.

Common collocations

Usage

Raw silk was a major export driving Japan's modernization in the Meiji era. Related words: 養蚕(ようさん) (silkworm raising) and 絹(きぬ) (silk fabric).

Related Words

Related: 蚕(かいこ) (silkworm)
Compare: 繭糸(けんし) (silk thread)
general
Added 2026.5.17 13:06 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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