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缌 (traditional: 緦) is a phono-semantic compound: the silk radical 纟 (from 糸, 'silk') indicates the material, while the phonetic 思 (sī, 'think') hints at the sound. The character denotes a very fine, loosely woven hemp or linen cloth that was historically made into mourning garments for a designated short period of bereavement. In the traditional Chinese patriarchal mourning system, this cloth gave its name to the lightest and shortest of the five grades of mourning attire, prescribed for distant relatives. Today, it is almost exclusively encountered in historical or sociological texts on ancient familial rites and funeral customs.
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