‘手巾’ (shǒu jīn) literally combines ‘手’ (shǒu), meaning ‘hand’, and ‘巾’ (jīn), meaning ‘cloth’ or ‘towel’. Together, it refers specifically to a small towel used for drying or wiping the hands—commonly called a ‘hand towel’ in English. It is distinct from larger bath towels (浴巾 yùjīn) or face towels (洗脸巾 xǐliǎnjīn), though usage can sometimes overlap informally.

This word is widely used in everyday domestic and public settings—such as in bathrooms, kitchens, or restaurants—and appears in both spoken and written Chinese. While modern usage often favors the more general term 毛巾 (máojīn, ‘towel’) for any absorbent cloth, 手巾 retains its specific connotation of size and primary function: hand-drying. It carries no strong regional or stylistic restrictions but sounds slightly more traditional or formal than 毛巾 in some contexts.