noun
Refers to a piece of cloth used for wiping or covering, such as a napkin or small towel. Often used in compound words like 巾着 (きんちゃく, drawstring pouch) or 布巾 (ふきん, dishcloth).
テーブルに巾を敷いてから料理を並べた。
I spread a cloth on the table before setting out the dishes.
布巾で食器を拭いてください。
Please wipe the dishes with a dishcloth.
布巾 specifically means a dishcloth or wiping cloth, while 巾 is a more general term for a piece of cloth or napkin.
ナプキン is a loanword from English 'napkin' and is more common in modern Japanese for table napkins, whereas 巾 is a native Japanese word that can also refer to cloths in general.
The kanji 巾 is a pictograph of a piece of cloth, and the reading きん is the on'yomi (Sino-Japanese reading). The word is used in various compounds related to cloth items.