names of chinese silk types - explain the difference in english

[Guest RZN]

Hello!

Can please someone help to translate and explain the difference in chinese silk types names?

My idea is to buy a silk quilt, but I can't understand the labels.

It seems to me that I have chosen 5 different ones - in the picture attached.

If I missed some other important type, please let me know.

[Shelley]

I think you have missed the pictures out.

Try again with the pictures.

[Guest RZN]

I have reattached the picture. Hope now it's ok.

[Ruben von Zwack]

Hello, I don't know anything about silk - apart from the obvious -, but I can tell you what your labels say.

Just so you know, from what I gather, in the labels you photographed there appear two, not 5, different types:

长丝绵, cháng sī mián which I would translate as "long thread silk" and

中长丝绵 zhōng cháng sī mián, "medium length thread silk" (which only appears in no. 1).

Does that make any sense? As I said, I don't know anything about silk.

The other word that keeps reoccurring is 桑蚕丝 sāng cán sī, mulberry tree natural silk. 桑 sāng = mulberry tree + 蚕 cán silkworm + 丝 sī silk or thread of silk.

Note: In picture 4 where you put a red box around the writing, it's just a different wording for "interior" or "filling".

Translation of your labels:

1)

面料 100% 棉

填充物: 100% 桑蚕丝

(含长丝绵和中长丝绵)

Outside: 100% Cotton

Filling: 100% Mulberry Tree Natural Silk

(Containing long thread silk + medium length thread silk)

2)

面料 100% 棉

填充物: 100% 桑蚕 (长丝绵)

Outside: 100% Cotton

Filling 100% Mulberry Silk (long thread silk)

3)

纯蚕丝被

pure natural silk blanket

4)

內胎: 100% 桑蚕长丝

外套: 100% 棉

interior: 100% mulberry tree silk long thread

coat/outer cover: 100% cotton

5)

面料 100% 棉

填充物: 100% 桑蚕丝

Outside: 100% Cotton

Filling: 100% mulberry tree natural silk

[Guest RZN]

Many thanks!

This is very helpful!

[Ruben von Zwack]

Glad it helps! I learnt something new, too

[abcdefg]

Here's some info about mulberry silk: http://www.silksheet...e.com/mulberry/

I shopped for silk quilts in Hangzhou and Suzhou. One of the main things I looked at was the weight (thin filling for summer; thick filling for winter.) I don't see that on your labels, but maybe I just missed it.

I can't remember the significance of long thread vs. medium.

[Ruben von Zwack]

Hmm, that was just my translation without knowing anything about silk. Could it be 长丝绵 and 中长丝绵 mean something different?

[Guest RZN]

Abcdefg, thank you for the link and advice.

If it's not off-topic: when you shopped, did you look for certain manufacturers/brands?

Labels have size and weight information, but as I shop on-line and there are lots of offers and descriptions are in chinese, it's very difficult to understand "who is who".

[abcdefg]

Ruben,

I think you were right. Long threads are desirable and are characteristic of silk that was spun by "factory silkworms" as contrasted with "wild silkworms" according to what (little) information I found on-line last night.

You did a good job with the translation. I don't really know much about silk either; only got a superficial crash education. Wound up buying a couple of scarves for lady friends and passing on the quilt. That silk can be beautiful stuff, especially when nicely hand painted.

[abcdefg]

#9 -- No, I didn't look for specific manufacturers or brands. After a while I decided against buying a silk duvet at all. Partly because I didn't know enough to choose wisely and partly because they are pretty expensive and I wasn't sure I really needed one even though they really were beautiful. I concluded that one really needs to look around a lot for one to make a wise purchase. Didn't have the time to devote to that project just then.

I realize that they are a "lifetime investment" and may wind up getting one some time in the future.

[Guest RZN]

Hi!

Please, help me once more:

there are 2 more hieroglyphs I need to translate (please see picture attached).

They are again from the silk quilt label.

[Ruben von Zwack]

The second one is weight, zhòng, the first one I cannot find right now, even though it is really common.

It's driving me crazy

Help! Shouldn't it be legitimately be found under the ice radical? Or, at least, under 8 strokes?

[Michaelyus]

净重 net weight

[Guest RZN]

Ruben, Michaelyus

Many thanks!

[imron]

Help! Shouldn't it be legitimately be found under the ice radical? Or, at least, under 8 strokes?

Ice radical, 6 strokes (character has 8 in total, minus the 2 from ice radical).