绩麻 (jì má) is a classical Chinese verb meaning 'to spin hemp fiber into thread or yarn.' The character 绩 (jì) originally meant 'to achieve' or 'to accomplish,' but in this compound it carries the specialized sense of 'to twist and draw out fibers' — reflecting the laborious, skillful process of preparing plant fiber for weaving. 麻 (má) means 'hemp,' a durable bast fiber historically cultivated across China for rope, cloth, and paper.

This term appears predominantly in pre-modern poetry and historical texts, especially in depictions of rural women’s domestic labor. It evokes imagery of quiet diligence, seasonal agricultural rhythms, and traditional textile production. Though rarely used in modern spoken Mandarin (replaced by terms like 纺麻 or simply 纺线), 绩麻 remains culturally resonant in literary contexts and idioms referencing hard work and self-sufficiency.