Clothes in Chinese
The Chinese word for "clothes" is 衣服 (yī fu). Below are 26 Chinese words for clothes, each with pinyin, English and its level in the new HSK 3.0 word list. They cover HSK 1 to HSK 4, in the order a learner meets them.
The 9 words to learn first
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 衣服 | yī fu | clothes | 1 |
| 衬衫 | chèn shān | shirt | 3 |
| 毛衣 | máo yī | (wool) sweater | 4 |
| 外套 | wài tào | coat; jacket | 4 |
| 裤子 | kù zi | pants; trousers | 2 |
| 裙子 | qún zi | skirt | 3 |
| 鞋 | xié | shoe | 3 |
| 袜子 | wà zi | socks | 4 |
| 帽子 | mào zi | hat | 4 |
Clothing & Accessories HSK 3 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 眼镜 | yǎn jìng | glasses; spectacles | 4 |
| 包 | bāo | bag; to wrap; to include | 2 |
| 伞 | sǎn | umbrella | 3 |
| 双 | shuāng | pair; double | 3 |
| 行李箱 | xíng li xiāng | suitcase | – |
Clothes and Belongings HSK 3 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 上衣 | shàng yī | top; upper-body garment (shirt, jacket) | 3 |
| 大衣 | dà yī | overcoat | 3 |
| 雨衣 | yǔ yī | raincoat | 3 |
| 短裤 | duǎn kù | shorts | 3 |
| 箱子 | xiāng zi | box, case, suitcase | 3 |
| 行李 | xíng li | luggage, baggage | 3 |
| 卡 | kǎ | card | 3 |
| 银行卡 | yín háng kǎ | bank card | 3 |
| 牙 | yá | tooth, teeth | 3 |
| 牙刷 | yá shuā | toothbrush | 3 |
| 相机 | xiàng jī | camera | 3 |
| 耳机 | ěr jī | earphones, headphones | 3 |
Every word links to its dictionary entry, with audio, example sentences and stroke order. The words are grouped by the GraphChinese lesson that teaches them, so a few in each group belong to the lesson and sit a little outside the topic.
More topics:
- family
- food
- numbers
- colors
- body parts
- emotions and feelings
- weather
- health and illness
- time words
- places
- transport and travel
- school
- jobs and work
- sports and hobbies
- nature and animals
- shopping and money
- directions
- greetings and everyday phrases
- pronouns
- measure words
- house and home
- everyday verbs
- personality
- technology
- business
- conjunctions
- entertainment and the arts
- festivals and holidays
- communication
- All topics
Frequently asked questions
How do you say "clothes" in Chinese?
衣服 (yī fu), meaning "clothes". The most common words in this topic are 衣服 (yī fu, clothes), 衬衫 (chèn shān, shirt), 毛衣 (máo yī, (wool) sweater), 外套 (wài tào, coat).
How many Chinese words for clothes do I need?
This page lists 26, from HSK 1 to HSK 4. The 9 at the top are enough to start; the rest follow level by level.
What do the HSK levels on this page mean?
Each word shows where the new HSK 3.0 word list places it, from level 1 to the 7-9 band. A dash means the word is taught in the course and is not on the HSK 3.0 list. HSK 3.0, complete.
How do I pronounce these words?
The pinyin beside each word gives the sound and the tone. Each word links to its dictionary entry, where you can hear it. If the tone marks are new to you, start with the four tones, explained.
GraphChinese teaches these words in dependency order, with audio, and only moves on when each one is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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