Clothes in Chinese: 100+ Clothing Words, Pronunciation, and Examples

Key takeaways

• Chinese has no grammatical gender for nouns, so 衬衫 (chènshān: shirt) does not change form whether it refers to a man’s shirt or a woman’s shirt.
• The most useful verb for wearing clothes in Chinese is 穿 (chuān), which covers both to wear and to put on. To take off clothing, use 脱 (tuō).
• Shopping vocabulary includes sizes in Chinese: 小号 (xiǎohào: small), 中号 (zhōnghào: medium), 大号 (dàhào: large), and 特大号 (tèdàhào: extra-large).
• Many Chinese clothing terms for Western garments come from transliterations: 夹克 (jiākè) from jacket and T恤 (T xù) from T-shirt.

Shopping for clothes in China, you know exactly what you want to try on. The fitting room attendant asks a question, the shop assistant offers a different size, and the only word you catch is your own language echoed back in Chinese sounds you do not recognize.

Clothing vocabulary is one of the first gaps learners hit in real shopping situations, and it shows up in entirely practical contexts: describing what someone is wearing, asking for a different size, or reading a clothing tag. italki connects learners with Chinese teachers who can drill this vocabulary in realistic shopping and description conversations.

This guide covers 100+ clothes in Chinese across eight categories: tops, bottoms, full outfits, outerwear, footwear, accessories, underwear, fabrics, and sizes. Each word includes Chinese characters, pinyin, and English translation. Clothing verbs and shopping phrases are included at the end.

Tops and upper body clothing

Chinese	Pinyin	English
衬衫	chènshān	shirt (button-up)
T恤	T xù	T-shirt
衬衣	chènyī	blouse/dress shirt
毛衣	máoyī	sweater/knit top
卫衣	wèiyī	hoodie/sweatshirt
夹克	jiākè	jacket
外套	wàitào	coat/jacket (general)
马甲	mǎjiǎ	vest/waistcoat
背心	bèixīn	tank top/sleeveless top
羽绒服	yǔróngfú	down jacket
风衣	fēngyī	trench coat/windbreaker
西装上衣	xīzhuāng shàngyī	suit jacket/blazer
polo衫	polo shān	polo shirt
运动服	yùndòngfú	sportswear
皮衣	píyī	leather jacket

卫衣 (wèiyī) literally means protective clothing and covers both hoodies and sweatshirts. 夹克 (jiākè) is a phonetic borrowing from the English jacket and is widely understood across mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

Bottoms

Chinese	Pinyin	English
裤子	kùzi	trousers/pants
牛仔裤	niúzǎikù	jeans (literally cowboy pants)
短裤	duǎnkù	shorts
裙子	qúnzi	skirt
连衣裙	liányīqún	dress (one-piece, connected top and skirt)
运动裤	yùndòngkù	sweatpants/athletic trousers
紧身裤	jǐnshēnkù	leggings/tight pants
工装裤	gōngzhuāngkù	cargo pants
西裤	xīkù	dress pants/suit trousers
睡裤	shuìkù	pajama pants

牛仔裤 (niúzǎikù) literally means cowboy pants, a reference to the denim fabric associated with American cowboys that became the term for jeans. 连衣裙 (liányīqún) literally means connected clothing skirt, which describes the structure of a one-piece dress well.

Full outfits and traditional clothing

Chinese	Pinyin	English
西装	xīzhuāng	suit (full)
连体裤	liántǐkù	jumpsuit/romper
旗袍	qípáo	qipao/cheongsam (traditional Chinese dress)
汉服	hànfú	hanfu (traditional Han Chinese clothing)
制服	zhìfú	uniform
礼服	lǐfú	formal wear/gown
睡衣	shuìyī	pajamas/sleepwear
浴袍	yùpáo	bathrobe

旗袍 (qípáo) and 汉服 (hànfú) both represent traditional Chinese clothing but from different historical periods and ethnic contexts. 旗袍 is associated with the Manchu-influenced style that became fashionable in early 20th-century Shanghai. 汉服 refers to the historical clothing of the Han ethnic majority and has seen renewed popular interest among younger Chinese people.

A Chinese language tutor can explain the cultural context behind traditional clothing terms, which matters when discussing Chinese culture, fashion, and history in conversation.

Outerwear and coats

Chinese	Pinyin	English
大衣	dàyī	overcoat/heavy coat
雨衣	yǔyī	raincoat
棉袄	mián’ǎo	padded cotton jacket/winter coat
毛皮大衣	máopí dàyī	fur coat
冲锋衣	chōngfēngyī	shell jacket/outdoor jacket
围裙	wéiqún	apron
防晒衣	fángshàiyī	UV-protection jacket/sun shirt
呢子大衣	nízi dàyī	wool overcoat

棉袄 (mián’ǎo) is a specifically Chinese garment style: a padded jacket filled with cotton, traditionally worn in winter. The modern version is similar to a quilted jacket. 冲锋衣 (chōngfēngyī) is the standard term for outdoor and hiking shell jackets and is extremely common in Chinese outdoor gear marketing.

Footwear

Chinese	Pinyin	English
鞋子	xiézi	shoes (general)
靴子	xuēzi	boots
凉鞋	liángxié	sandals
运动鞋	yùndòngxié	sneakers/sports shoes
高跟鞋	gāogēnxié	high heels
平底鞋	píngdǐxié	flat shoes
拖鞋	tuōxié	slippers
皮鞋	píxié	leather shoes
雨靴	yǔxuē	rain boots
帆布鞋	fānbùxié	canvas shoes
踝靴	huái xuē	ankle boots
人字拖	rénzì tuō	flip-flops (literally character 人 flip-flops)

人字拖 (rénzì tuō) gets its name from the shape of the Y-shaped strap, which resembles the Chinese character 人 (rén: person). This is a good example of how Chinese vocabulary describes appearance directly.

Accessories

Chinese	Pinyin	English
帽子	màozi	hat/cap
围巾	wéijīn	scarf
手套	shǒutào	gloves
腰带	yāodài	belt
包	bāo	bag/purse
背包	bēibāo	backpack
钱包	qiánbāo	wallet
雨伞	yǔsǎn	umbrella
太阳镜	tàiyángjìng	sunglasses
手表	shǒubiǎo	watch
项链	xiàngliàn	necklace
手链	shǒuliàn	bracelet
耳环	ěrhuán	earrings
戒指	jièzhǐ	ring
领带	lǐngdài	necktie

Underwear and sleepwear

Chinese	Pinyin	English
内裤	nèikù	underwear/underpants
胸罩	xiōngzhào	bra
袜子	wàzi	socks
连裤袜	liánkùwà	tights/pantyhose
短袜	duǎnwà	ankle socks
长筒袜	chángtǒngwà	knee-high socks
内衬衫	nèi chènshān	undershirt
泳衣	yǒngyī	swimsuit

Fabrics

Chinese	Pinyin	English
棉	mián	cotton
丝绸	sīchóu	silk
羊毛	yángmáo	wool
涤纶	dílún	polyester
亚麻	yàmá	linen
皮革	pígé	leather
牛仔布	niúzǎibù	denim
天鹅绒	tiān’éróng	velvet
羊绒	yángróng	cashmere
棉麻	miánmá	cotton-linen blend

Clothing tags in China are written in Chinese, so knowing fabric vocabulary matters when you want to understand material composition before buying. 100%棉 (100% cotton) and 聚酯纤维 (polyester fiber) appear on most clothing labels alongside care instructions.

Sizes and shopping vocabulary

Chinese	Pinyin	English
尺码	chǐmǎ	size
小号	xiǎohào	small (S)
中号	zhōnghào	medium (M)
大号	dàhào	large (L)
加大号	jiādàhào	extra-large (XL)
特大号	tèdàhào	double extra-large (XXL)
试衣间	shì yī jiān	fitting room
打折	dǎzhé	discount/on sale
退换	tuìhuàn	return/exchange
合适	héshì	fits/suitable
太大了	tài dà le	too big
太小了	tài xiǎo le	too small
有没有其他颜色?	yǒu méiyǒu qítā yánsè	Do you have other colors?
我可以试穿吗?	wǒ kěyǐ shì chuān ma	Can I try it on?

Clothing vocabulary also depends on Chinese measure words, especially 件 (jiàn) for tops and 条 (tiáo) for trousers and skirts.

Clothing verbs and example sentences

Chinese	Pinyin	English	Example
穿	chuān	to wear/to put on	她穿着红色的裙子。(tā chuānzhe hóngsè de qúnzi: She is wearing a red skirt.)
脱	tuō	to take off	请脱鞋。(qǐng tuō xié: Please take off your shoes.)
换	huàn	to change (clothes)	我去换衣服。(wǒ qù huàn yīfu: I am going to change clothes.)
试穿	shì chuān	to try on	我可以试穿吗? (wǒ kěyǐ shì chuān ma: Can I try it on?)
叠	dié	to fold	把衣服叠好。(bǎ yīfu dié hǎo: Fold the clothes neatly.)
洗	xǐ	to wash	这件衬衫要手洗。(zhè jiàn chènshān yào shǒu xǐ: This shirt needs to be hand-washed.)
熨	yùn	to iron	你会熨衣服吗? (nǐ huì yùn yīfu ma: Can you iron clothes?)

An online Chinese teacher can set up shopping roleplay conversations using these verbs alongside the vocabulary in this guide, which moves clothing words from recognition into active use much faster than self-study alone.

Ready to talk about clothes in Chinese?

The vocabulary in this guide covers the full range of clothing situations: describing what someone is wearing, buying clothes at a market or store, understanding a laundry tag, and asking for a different size or color. Getting to where you can use these words naturally in conversation is a different skill from memorizing the table.

A Chinese tutor can run a simple scenario with you: you describe what you are wearing today, they ask for a different size or color, you respond. That kind of interaction builds the retrieval speed that transforms a vocabulary list into usable language. italki has 30,000+ expert tutors, trusted by over 10 million learners worldwide, with Chinese tutors who can focus each lesson on exactly the vocabulary area you need. Book a trial lesson and use clothing vocabulary as your starting topic.

FAQ

Is clothing vocabulary the same in mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong?

Most clothing terms are shared across regions, but some differences exist. Taiwan uses traditional characters, so 褲子 (trousers) appears differently on a label than the simplified 裤子 used in mainland China. Hong Kong uses Cantonese pronunciation alongside written Chinese. For practical shopping vocabulary, the terms in this guide work in all three contexts.

How do you describe clothing style in Chinese, beyond just naming items?

Adjectives like 时尚 (shíshàng: fashionable), 休闲 (xiūxián: casual), 正式 (zhèngshì: formal), 宽松 (kuānsōng: loose-fitting), and 修身 (xiūshēn: slim-fit) describe style and fit. Combining them with clothing nouns works naturally: 一件修身衬衫 (a slim-fit shirt), 休闲裤 (casual trousers).

What is a common mistake English speakers make with Chinese clothing vocabulary?

Using 穿 (chuān: to wear) for accessories. In Chinese, 穿 applies to clothing you put on by going through it (shirts, trousers, shoes). For hats, use 戴 (dài: to wear accessories). 戴帽子 (dài màozi) means to wear a hat. Using 穿帽子 sounds wrong to a native speaker.