(きいと)

きいと
noun
raw silk
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)(かいこ)から(つく)られる。
Raw silk is made from silkworms.
この(まち)(むかし)生糸(きいと)生産(せいさん)(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)日本(にほん)重要(じゅうよう)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 () (raw, unprocessed) + (いと) (thread). Raw silk is reeled from cocoons and later refined into the finished silk used for fabric.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 生糸(きいと)生産(せいさん): raw silk production
  • 生糸(きいと)輸出(ゆしゅつ)する: to export raw silk
  • 生糸(きいと)値段(ねだん): the price of raw silk

NOTE:
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 (きぬ) (silk fabric).