Clothes in Chinese 衣服
yīfu
Clothes in Chinese is 衣服 (yī fu).
Also searched for as: clothing, shirt, trousers, dress.
What are you shopping for? 20 essential clothes words in Mandarin Chinese, with pinyin and English. Open it in the app to hear each word, tick off the ones you know and turn them into flashcards.
The word for clothes in Chinese is 衣服 (yī fu), and these words cover the everyday wardrobe, from 裤子 (kù zi), trousers, to 毛衣 (máo yī), a jumper. The trickiest part isn't the nouns but the verbs and measure words that go with them, since Chinese uses 穿 (chuān) for clothes and shoes but a different verb, 戴 (dài), for hats, glasses, scarves and gloves.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 衣服 | yī fu | clothes |
| 穿 | chuān | to wear |
| 裤子 | kù zi | trousers |
| 裙子 | qún zi | skirt |
| 衬衫 | chèn shān | shirt |
| T恤 | T xù | T-shirt |
| 外套 | wài tào | coat; jacket |
| 毛衣 | máo yī | jumper |
| 鞋 | xié | shoes |
| 袜子 | wà zi | socks |
| 帽子 | mào zi | hat |
| 围巾 | wéi jīn | scarf |
| 手套 | shǒu tào | gloves |
| 内衣 | nèi yī | underwear |
| 连衣裙 | lián yī qún | dress |
| 牛仔裤 | niú zǎi kù | jeans |
| 西装 | xī zhuāng | suit |
| 运动鞋 | yùn dòng xié | trainers |
| 包 | bāo | bag |
| 眼镜 | yǎn jìng | glasses |
Usage tips
- Measure words depend on the garment: 件 (jiàn) for tops and coats, 条 (tiáo) for trousers, skirts and scarves, and 双 (shuāng) for pairs of shoes, socks and gloves.
- 衣服 (yī fu) can mean clothes in general or a single item, usually a top, so 这件衣服 (zhè jiàn yī fu) means 'this top' or 'this piece of clothing'.
- Chinese counts floors from the ground, so 二楼 (èr lóu) in a shop is the first floor in British English.
Common mistakes
- Using 穿 (chuān) for hats and glasses; say 戴帽子 (dài mào zi) and 戴眼镜 (dài yǎn jìng).
- Using 衬衫 (chèn shān) for any top; 衬衫 is a shirt with buttons and a collar, while a casual top is 上衣 (shàng yī) or T恤 (T xù).
Mini dialogue
- A今天很冷，多穿点儿。Jīn tiān hěn lěng, duō chuān diǎnr.It's cold today, wrap up warm.
- B好，我穿毛衣和外套。Hǎo, wǒ chuān máo yī hé wài tào.OK, I'll wear a jumper and a coat.
- A别忘了戴围巾和手套。Bié wàng le dài wéi jīn hé shǒu tào.Don't forget your scarf and gloves.
- B知道了，妈！Zhī dào le, mā!I know, Mum!
Example sentences
- 周末我想去买几件衣服。I want to buy some clothes at the weekend.
- 今天很冷，多穿点儿。It's cold today, so wrap up warm.
- 这条裤子有点儿长。These trousers are a bit long.
- 她穿了一条红裙子。She's wearing a red skirt.
- 爸爸上班穿白衬衫。Dad wears a white shirt to work.
- 夏天我只穿T恤。In summer I only wear T-shirts.
- 外面下雨，带上外套吧。It's raining outside, so take a jacket.
- 奶奶给我织了一件毛衣。Grandma knitted me a jumper.
- 这双鞋太小了。This pair of shoes is too small.
- 我的袜子怎么只有一只？Why have I only got one sock?
- 太阳很大，戴上帽子。The sun is strong, so put a hat on.
- 这条围巾很暖和。This scarf is very warm.
- 冬天骑车要戴手套。You need gloves to cycle in winter.
- 内衣在二楼卖。Underwear is sold on the first floor.
- 她买了一条蓝色的连衣裙。She bought a blue dress.
- 我最喜欢穿牛仔裤。I love wearing jeans most of all.
- 面试那天他穿了西装。He wore a suit on the day of the interview.
- 跑步要穿运动鞋。You should wear trainers to go running.
- 你的包真漂亮！Your bag is really lovely!
- 我的眼镜放在哪儿了？Where did I put my glasses?
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Clothes speaking island has 8 everyday questions about clothes to prepare your own answers to.