Japanese Clothing Vocabulary: Essential Fashion Vocabulary Lists on Japanese Clothes

Learning Japanese clothing vocabulary opens up a whole new world when you're shopping in Japan, watching anime, or just trying to describe what someone's wearing. Whether you're planning a trip to Tokyo, studying for the JLPT, or just want to understand those fashion-focused anime scenes better, knowing how to talk about clothes in Japanese is super practical. Here's everything you need to know about Japanese clothing terms, from everyday basics to traditional garments.

Essential Japanese clothing words to start with

Before we dive into specific categories, let's cover the fundamental terms you'll hear constantly when talking about clothes in Japanese.

The general word for clothing in Japanese is fuku (). You'll see this character pop up everywhere, from store signs to washing instructions.

When you want to talk about getting dressed, you'd use the verb kiru (), which means "to wear" for items worn on the upper body or full outfits.

Here are some basic terms that'll come up constantly:

When you're shopping, you'll definitely need saizu (サイズ), which means "size." Japanese sizes run smaller than Western sizes, so this word becomes very important very quickly.

Tops and shirts you'll need to know

Let's start with upper body clothing since these are probably the most common items you'll talk about.

Bottoms and pants vocabulary

Moving down to lower body clothing, here's what you need to learn.

Outerwear and coats for all seasons

Japanese weather varies wildly depending on the season and region, so outerwear vocabulary comes in handy.

Underwear and innerwear terms

This category might feel awkward to learn, but you'll need these words when doing laundry or shopping.

Footwear vocabulary for every occasion

Shoes are huge in Japanese culture since you're constantly taking them off and putting them on.

Accessories that complete the outfit

Accessories in Japanese are called akusesarii (アクセサリー), but let's get specific.

Traditional Japanese clothing terms

While most Japanese people wear Western-style clothes daily, traditional garments still appear at festivals, ceremonies, and special occasions.

Beyond the kimono and yukata mentioned earlier, hakama () are traditional pleated trousers or skirts worn over kimono, often seen at graduation ceremonies and martial arts practice.

The obi () is the wide belt that holds a kimono closed. Tying an obi properly is an art form, and there are dozens of different styles and knots.

Geta and zori we covered in footwear, but it's worth noting that waraji () are traditional straw sandals, though you'll mainly see these at historical sites or festivals now.

Fundoshi () is traditional Japanese underwear, basically a loincloth. You'll still see these worn by participants in certain festivals and sumo wrestlers.

Shopping phrases you'll actually use

Knowing clothing words helps, but you also need to know how to use them when shopping in Japan.

The fitting room is shichakushitsu (). If something fits well, you can say pittari desu (ぴったりです), meaning "It fits perfectly."

"Too big" is ookisugiru (), and "too small" is chiisasugiru (). Learning these will save you from buying clothes that don't fit during your Japan trip.

Understanding Japanese fashion subcultures

Japan has some unique fashion styles that come with their own vocabulary and cultural context.

How Japanese clothing sizes work

Japanese sizes differ significantly from Western sizing systems, so understanding this vocabulary matters for practical shopping.

Japanese sizes typically run smaller than American or European sizes. A Japanese medium often equals a Western small.

Sizes are usually marked as esu (S/エス) for small, emu (M/エム) for medium, and eru (L/エル) for large.

Women's clothing sometimes uses number sizes like 7, 9, 11, which roughly correspond to US sizes 2, 4, 6. Men's dress shirts use neck measurements in centimeters.

When shopping, you might see furi saizu (フリーサイズ), which means "free size" or one-size-fits-all. This usually means the item is stretchy or adjustable.

Describing clothing in Japanese

Beyond just naming items, you'll want to describe them too.

Colors are essential vocabulary. Aka () is red, ao () is blue, kiiro () is yellow, midori () is green, kuro () is black, and shiro () is white.

Pattern words include shimamoyo () for stripes, mizutama () for polka dots, and muji () for solid colors or plain patterns.

Material terms help when shopping. Men () means cotton, kinu () is silk, uuru (ウール) is wool, and kawa () means leather.

To describe style, kashuaru (カジュアル) means casual, foomaru (フォーマル) is formal, and shinpuru (シンプル) means simple or minimalist.

Your one-stop chart to essential Japanese clothes terms!

Learning Japanese vocabulary effectively

Memorizing clothing vocabulary works best when you connect words to real objects and situations.

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Learn Japanese clothing terms via online websites

As mentioned before, the most convenient and thorough way to learn all the necessary clothing terms is to browse through clothing websites like Uniqlo or Muji's websites. If you feel stressful to take in so many new words in one go, you can also watch Japanese city or fashion dramas and reality shows to get yourself familiar with how natives usually talk about their clothes.

Ready to explore the well-known fashion centers in Japan?