系
JLPT HSK 1

xì
Top: accent ノ for the emphasis, bottom: thread 糸
An emphasized thread for: the connections in a system.

	给
JLPT HSK 2

gěi, jǐ
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: to meet, to fit 合 (... the lid on the pot 口.)
A thread that fits was supplied.

	红
JLPT HSK 2

hóng
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: work(er) 工
(Construction sites have red tapes to cordon off hazardous areas:) The thread of the worker is red.

	药
JLPT HSK 2

yào
Top: plant 艹, bottom: promise, treaty 约 (The thread 糹/糸 at the ladle 勺 reminds to the promise.)
This plant gives the promise to be: medicine.

	纸
JLPT HSK 2

zhǐ
Left: thread 糹/糸 (here: fiber), right: clan/family name 氏 (Here: see 氏 as ladle or scooping grill for the paper production) [Family 氏 = A distorted person 人 = 亻= 厂 together with "Plus +" as multiplier makes a family.]
Use cellulose fibers and a grill for making paper. (OR: Threads become one 'family' in: paper.)

	绍
JLPT HSK 2

shào
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: to call together/summon 召 (... with a sword 刀 and the mouth 口)
Endlessly like a thread the summons are continued.

	累
JLPT HSK 2

léi, lěi, lèi
Top: field 田, bottom: thread 糸
(Working in fields that are too long is never ending:) If the fields are as long as threads, we will continously be exhausted.

	终
JLPT HSK 3

zhōng
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: winter 冬 (With an upturned foot 夂 on the ice 冫- it's winter)
The thread (of life) comes in winter to an end with the death.

	结
JLPT HSK 3

jié, jiē
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: luck/joy 吉 (simplificaton of 喜, where the scholar 士 has beans 豆 in the mouth 口 and is happy.)
Threads of joy tie us.

	级
JLPT HSK 3

jí
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: to reach, arrive 及 (A hand stretched out to reach sth.丿
The thread (i.e. at the uniform) shows the reached rank/grade.

	练
JLPT HSK 3

liàn
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: east 东/東 (Behind a tree 木 the sun 日 rises in the east)
(With endurance, like a long) thread and from the early moring (= the sun is still behind the trees) we already shall do our training.

	绿
JLPT HSK 3

lǜ
Left: thread 纟/糸 (here: plant fiber), right: diary, record 录 ("to squeeze out" = A pressing hand 彐 lets liquid 水 drop out)
When plant fibers 纟are squeezed by hand 彐, the drops of liquid 水 are: green.

	绩
JLPT HSK 3

jī
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: responsibility 责 (... for growing plants and money 贝/貝)
Threads have the responsibility (i.e. in woven form) to provide a merit.

	续
JLPT HSK 4

xù
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: sell 卖 (For ten 十 [coins] the hat 乛 of the leader 头 is sold) [leader 头 = The big 大 one with protruding eyes 丶]
Threads are endless, such that the sale proceeds continously.

	紧
JLPT HSK 4

jǐn
Top: knife 刀, again 又 (image of a hand), bottom: thread, string 糸
If you need a knife in your hand (to get free) from the threads, they are tight and strict.

	绝
JLPT HSK 4

jué
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: color 色 (The bent ⺈ and the slumped 巴 person have colorful sex)
(Dyed fabrics will fade:) From the threads the color will disappear.

	纪
JLPT HSK 4

jì
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: self 己 (Following the winding path I find myself.) (By knots in a thread you can record information like distances.)
The thread itself (by the knots) records periods.

	细
JLPT HSK 4

xì
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: rice field 田
Like a thread is this field: such thin.

	约
JLPT HSK 4

yāo, yuē
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: ladle 勺
The thread at the ladle reminds to the contract.

	线
JLPT HSK 4

xiàn
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: 戋 (two 二 halberds 戈, here: draw one 一 line with a halberd)
Like one thread and drawn with a halberd is this one: line.

	继
JLPT HSK 4

jì
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: angle , rice 米
As long as a thread, we will manage with the rice in the corner to go on with.

	纳
JLPT HSK 5

nà
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: inside 内 (Here: a thread 冂 around a person 人 for marking)
A thread wound around the person for marking a: receiving, accepting or paying.

	纷
JLPT HSK 5

fēn
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: divide 分 (... with the sword 刀 in 8 八 pieces)
Threads that are divided become numerous and are in a disorder.

	编
JLPT HSK 5

biān
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: flat 扁 (Sliding doors 戸 and writing tablets 冊 are flat.)
If threads are laid as flatly, as doors or tablets are, it is weaving, plaiting or composing.

	维
JLPT HSK 5

wéi
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: bird 隹
The thread at the bird will preserve and keep it. (against flying away)

	繁
JLPT HSK 5

fán
Top: quick, nimble 敏 (Every 每 strike 攵/攴 must be quick), bottom: thread 糸
(Threads were made of vegetable fibers [like flax / linum] by strikes.) Every strike on the threads stands for a great number.

	缩
JLPT HSK 5

suō
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: lodge/hostel 宿 (Under the roof 宀 persons 人 in the hundreds 百 in the lodge)
The threads (of bed linen) in the hostel will (after washing) shrink.

	绪
JLPT HSK 5

xù
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: person, the one who 者 (old man 耂 on the sun 日)
This thread is needed by the person as the beginning of the cocoon.

	综
JLPT HSK 5

zōng
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: religion/teaching 宗 (The 'roof' 宀 over the altar 示 is the religion.)
Threads shall, according to the teaching, be put together.

	绕
JLPT HSK 5

rào
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: Emperor Tang Yao 尧 (vari. of halberd 戈 and table )
The thread around the halberd on the table should be rolled / coiled up.

	统
JLPT HSK 5

tǒng
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: satisfy, to fill 充 (The newborn baby [= child 子 upside down, because it comes with the head first] flounders with his legs 儿 to be 'filled' [= fed] and thus be satisfied. (cf. 流)
Threads are satisfying if they are in a context. (i.e. woven)

	紫
JLPT HSK 5

zǐ
Top: this 此 (He stopped 止 and sat 匕 down: This person.), below: thread 糸
Stop at the person with the threads in purple.

	丝
JLPT HSK 5

sī
Top: 2x thread 纟/糸, below: one 一
If the threads are fine like a 'one', it's silk.

	纲
JLPT HSK 5

gāng
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: hill 冈/岡
Threads and equally also hills can be guiding points/principles.

	绳
JLPT HSK 5

shéng
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: toad 黾 (The animal 口 on the field 田 with the long tongue 乚. HERE: At the rope-maker the rope 乚 is clamped in two holding jaws 口,臼 for being twisted.)
Threads are clamped twice to make/twist the rope 乚.

	索
JLPT HSK 5

suǒ
From top: ten 十, cover 冖, thread 糸
Under ten layers of threads, I search a rope.

	素
JLPT HSK 5

sù
Top: growing plant , below: thread (= fiber) 糸
Growing plants comprise fibers which are their elements (constituents).

	组
JLPT HSK 5

zǔ
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: further/moreover 且 (A pile of stones [= a stone cairn] where moreover stones are added.)
Take threads 纟(around the) pile of stones 且 to organize them as a group.

	缓
JLPT HSK 5

huǎn
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: to help 爰 (a hand reaches down 爫 to give a rope ノ [with two 二 knots] and another hand 又 takes this help.)
If you have a thread (a rope?) for helping you can be relaxed.

	织
JLPT HSK 5

zhī
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: single 只 (one mouth 口 of eight 八 is just alone)
The thread 纟 shall into the hole 口, even twice 八, when weaving or kniting.

	络
JLPT HSK 5

lào, luò
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: every 各 (Sitting cross-legged 夂 on a cushion 口 does everybody)
It all depends on the thread, on every: in a net.

	纯
JLPT HSK 5

chún
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: barracks 屯 (On fertile ground, where growing shoots 屮 pierced the ground 一 they built a barracks.)
Threads made of plants and sprouds are pure and unmixed.

	绸
JLPT HSK 5

chóu
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: circumference 周 (A framed 冂 luck 吉, sets its circumference) [joy 吉 = simplif. of happy 喜, where the scholar 士 has beans 豆 in the mouth 口 and is happy]
(Here "encircle" in the sense of put on clothes) The thread that encircles you is the silk.

	纽
JLPT HSK 6

niǔ
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: ugly 丑 (Here: button + in buttonhole ユ)
Connected with a thread at the buttonholes is: the button making a knot.

	纹
JLPT HSK 6

wén
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: text, language 文 (Image of a folding table for writing a text.)
Threads and texts are in lines or traces.

	绘
JLPT HSK 6

huì
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: to meet 会 (When persons 人 are speaking 云 together as "two 二 noses 厶" they meet.)
(developed from an embroidered picture) The threads meet in a picture.

	缴
JLPT HSK 6

jiǎo
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: white 白, release 放 (In his side 方 he was striked 攵 until he released) cf.敫
(He wants only the best quality) He wants threads that are white and beaten in one direction (= cleanly spun) to be transferred to him.

	缘
JLPT HSK 6

yuán
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: 彖 (mouth and pig 豕 [cf. 喙])
Like a thread through the mouth of a pig (which is directing it), we are lead by our fate.

	缝
JLPT HSK 6

féng, fèng
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: to encounter 逢 (The movements of a bee 蜂 [= from blossom to blossom] mean: to encounter.) [here: 'bee' 蜂 without insect 虫]
Threads encounter when sewing a seam.

	缠
JLPT HSK 6

chán
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: building 广, village 里 (here: spool 土 in a bearing 田)
Threads can be wound (within the building) onto a spool.

	纤
JLPT HSK 6

qiàn, xiān
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: 1000 千
Threads, namely 1000, build a tow-rope.

	溪
JLPT HSK 6

xī
Left: water 氵, right: What? WHERE? 奚 (The down-reaching hand 爫 wants to fish with the thread 糸 something big 大, but: What? Where?)
To get to the water, you need to reach down and it seems like a 'big thread', then it is a rivulet.

	纺
JLPT HSK 6

fǎng
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: direction/square 方 (here: spool)
Bring the thread in a common direction, when: spinning.

	绑
JLPT HSK 6

bǎng
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: nation, country 邦 (If there is abundance 丰 [=strongly growing plant] in the villages⻏, it will develop a nation)
By the thread of our nation, we are tied and bound together.

	绣
JLPT HSK 6

xiù
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: outstanding 秀 (Grain plants 禾 as big as a pregnancy belly 乃 are: outstanding!)
Threads are outstanding in: an embroidery.

	绅
JLPT HSK 6

shēn
Left: threat 纟/糸, right: explain, speak 申 (A mouth 口 with a big "plus" + for the outgoing surplus when explaining.)
(He has good cloths) The threads (of the cloths) speak/explain the gentleman of the gentry.

	缚
JLPT HSK 6

fù
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: annonce 尃 (just now 甫 with skillful hand 寸)
Use the thread in a fight 搏 [= just now 甫 with skillful hands 寸] to bind sb.

	蕴
JLPT HSK 6

yùn
Top: grass 艹, bottom: 缊 (thread 纟/糸, sun 日, bowl 皿)
The grass has fibers/threads which, when viewed in light, are the bowl for inner strength.

	纵
JLPT HSK 6

zòng
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: follow, obey 从 (here: warp threads = the vertical threads on the loom)
The threads as warp threads are vertical.

	绒
JLPT HSK 6

róng
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: military 戎 (... with the 十 [men] with halberds 戈)
The threads (= uniforms) at the military are woolen.

	缔
JLPT HSK 6

dì
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: emperor 帝 (He stands 立 and is covered 冖 with cloth 巾)
Threads have the "imperial" task to make: a close joining.

	纬
JLPT HSK 6

wěi
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: leather 韦 (Two layers 二 are separated with special sword 刀 to make leather - here: three horizontal 三 weft and a warp 丨 at the loom)
The thread as a weft is horizontal like the latitude. (longitude = 经)

	纠
JLPT HSK 6

jiū
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: intertwined 丩 (image of twisted threads)
(At the loom:) Threads that are twisted should be corrected.

	缀
JLPT HSK 6

zhuì
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: 叕 (4x hand 又, here: embroidered threads)
Threads are embroidered when: Sewing together or embellishing.

	绎
JLPT HSK 6

yì
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: vertical 圣 (hand 又 above the earth 土) [cf. longitude 经]
The thread that is vertically (at the loom) is the continuous one.

	嗦
JLPT HSK 6

suō
Left: mouth 口, right: 索 (ten 十, cover 冖, thread 糸)
The mouth can cover 冖 from above (tenfold??) and it appears thread-like (when using a drinking-straw?) to suck.

	紊
JLPT HSK 6

wěn
Top: text/language 文 (Image of a folding table for writing a text.), bottom: thread 糸
Texts (or sentences) that are thread-long are tangled.

	缉
JLPT HSK 6

qī
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: 咠 (mouth 口, ear 耳)
Like threads are the (inquiries) from mouths to ears when wanting to seize sb.

	辫
JLPT HSK 6

biàn
Twice: bitter, sharp 辛 (tattoo needle), middle thread 纟/糸
If two sharp threads stick out, they can be plaited.

	绞
JLPT no HSK

jiǎo
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: exchange, crossing 交 (six 六 crosses 㐅)
(When making a rope) Threads come into an exchange, when they are twisted together.

	缅
JLPT no HSK

miǎn
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: face, surface 面 (One 一 eye 目 in a frame 囗 around the eyes stands for a face, mask (or in general for:) surfaces)
The threads appear like (a single) surface: from the distance.

	绢
JLPT no HSK

juàn
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: small worm 肙 (The head 口 is as big as the body 月/肉)
The thread of the small worm becomes a silk fabric.

	螺
JLPT no HSK

luó
Left: insect 虫, right: tired, exhausted 累 (If the fields are long 田 as threads 糸, they will exhaust us)
It comes from the insect and repeats until exhaustion: the helix of the spiral shell.

	绵
JLPT no HSK

mián
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: silk 帛 (= white 白 cloth 巾)
The thread of the silk is continous.

	绥
JLPT no HSK

suí
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: to settle sth. adequately 妥 (The hands 爫 of the women 女 settle the suitable)
(When taming animals) Threads settle adequately the: pacifying.

	缆
JLPT no HSK

lǎn
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: to look at 览 (The cut刂 bamboo 竹 is what I am looking 见/見 at.)
Actually just a thread, but like a cut bamboo (tree)! That's how it looks like: The heavy duty rope.

	纱
JLPT no HSK

shā
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: few, little 少 (A small 小 stroke ノ is too few)
If the threads are few, it is a yarn or a loose gauze.

	缕
JLPT no HSK

lǚ
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: to collect 娄 (Rice grains 米 are by women 女: collected)
Threads, that are collected [= aligned] stand for: threads or locks (of hair).

	绰
JLPT no HSK

chuò
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: excellent 卓 ([Before the day happens:] Fortune telling 卜 early 早 at the morning is excellent)
Threads are excellent when they are spacious (=long?).

	绷
JLPT no HSK

bēng, běng, béng
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: friends 朋 (Two bodies 月/肉 next to each other are friends.)
The thread that binds the friends is stretched.

	徽
JLPT no HSK

huī
Left: to go 彳, right: mountain 山, system, connection 系, strike 攵/攴 (a hand 又 with a stick 卜) (stick in a hand)
Who climbs a mountain in connection that he already needs a stick in his hand, gets a badge for it.

	缎
JLPT no HSK

duàn
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: section/segment 段 (The staircase 三 in the cliff 厂 were cut in sections with a battle axe by hand 又)
With threads and made in segments: Satin.

	絮
JLPT no HSK

xù
Top: as such 如 (Women's 女 mouths 口 are as such.), bottom: 糸
As such threads are usable as: cotton wadding.

	绽
JLPT no HSK

zhàn
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: to settle, to determine 定 (Under the roof 宀, everything is correct 正, if things are settled.)
(When the tension becomes too big:) The thread determines when it will burst open.

	绊
JLPT no HSK

bàn
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: half 半 (A knife cuts 丨 a birthday cake 二 with candles 丷 in half.)
(Horses get ropes [=hobbles] around their fetlocks against running away) If the thread is only half, it is hindering.

	绫
JLPT no HSK

líng
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: slowly, dawdle 夌 (Who walks over the earth 土 with legs 儿 that are crossed 夂, is dawdling.)
(Its production takes a long time:) The tread that dawdles (at the production) is: damask.

	缪
JLPT no HSK

miào, móu, miù
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: sound of the wind 翏 (At feather 羽 or the beard 㐱 you feel the wind. [㐱 = person 人 with beard 彡])
A (freely hanging) thread can by the sound of the wind, wind around sth.

	骡
JLPT no HSK

luó
Left: horse 马/馬, right: exhausted 累 (If the fields are long 田 as threads 糸, they will exhaust us)
The "horse" working until being exhausted, is the mule.

	奚
JLPT no HSK

xī
From top: a hand reaching down 爫, thread 纟, big 大
The down-reaching hand 爫 wants to fish with the thread 糸 something big 大, but: What?, Where?

	纂
JLPT no HSK

zuǎn
Top: calculate 算 (I use the bamboo 竹 abacus 目 with both hands 廾 to calculate.), bottom: thread 糸
You have to calculate and need threads (here: package strings), when: compiling [e.g. deliveries].

	吆
JLPT no HSK

yāo
Left: mouth 口, right: thread 纟/糸
Out of the mouth like (a single) thread: The shout.

	彝
JLPT no HSK

yí
From top: Part of spoool 互, rice 米, thread 糸, two hands 廾
When you (wrap) on a spool some rice grains using a thread and both hands, you 'govern'.

	愫
JLPT no HSK

sù
Left: feelings 忄, right: element, essence 素 (Growing plants 丰 consist of fibers 糸 which are their elements.)
The feeling, that is essential is to be: sincere.

	攥
JLPT no HSK

zuàn
Left: hand 扌, right: to compile, edit 纂 (You have to calculate 算 and need threads 糸, when: compiling [e.g. deliveries])
The hand that compiles, has a hold on it.

	萦
JLPT no HSK

yíng
From top: plant 艹, cover 冖, thread 糸
A plant that covers (the ground) is like a thread that is: winding around.

	缮
JLPT no HSK

shàn
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: benevolent, goodness 善 (A sheep 羊 standing 立 with a gaping mouth 口 is good and benevolent)
The thread is benevolent for: repairing.

	胤
JLPT no HSK

yìn
Outside: channel |乚, middle: thread 纟/糸, bodypart, meat 月/肉
A channel for the thread of the own body (= bloodline), when: inheriting.

	绛
JLPT no HSK

jiàng
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: "vertical stick" 夅 (Vertical 圣 with an extra stroke ノ as a stick plunged into the ground 土.)
(As a boundary marker?) The thread at the vertical stick is: purple-red.