Clothes in Japanese: Vocabulary + 5 Verbs for 'To Wear'

The short answer

Clothes is ふく. Many clothing words are katakana loanwords: シャツ, スカート, コート.
きる: upper body (shirt, jacket). はく: lower body and feet (trousers, shoes).
かぶる: on the head (hat). かける: glasses. する: accessories (tie, watch).
Take off: ぬぐ (clothes, shoes), とる / はずす (hat, glasses, accessories).

Everyday clothes

ふくfuku
clothes
シャツshatsu
shirt
Tシャツtīshatsu
T-shirt
セーターsētā
sweater
ジャケットjaketto
jacket
コートkōto
coat
ズボンzubon
trousers
ジーンズjīnzu
jeans
スカートsukāto
skirt
ワンピースwanpīsu
dress (one-piece)
くつkutsu
shoes
くつしたkutsushita
socks
ぼうしbōshi
hat, cap
めがねmegane
glasses

Five verbs for “to wear”

Verb	Used for	Example
きる kiru	upper body, whole-body items	シャツをきる wear a shirt
はく haku	below the waist, feet	くつをはく wear shoes
かぶる kaburu	on the head	ぼうしをかぶる wear a hat
かける kakeru	glasses	めがねをかける wear glasses
する suru	accessories	ネクタイをする wear a tie

To describe what someone is wearing right now, use the て-form + いる: あかいシャツをきています, she’s wearing a red shirt. See the て-form.

あかいシャツをきていますakai shatsu o kite imasu
(She’s) wearing a red shirt.
ジーンズをはいていますjīnzu o haite imasu
(He’s) wearing jeans.
めがねをかけていますmegane o kakete imasu
(He’s) wearing glasses.

Taking things off

くつをぬいでくださいkutsu o nuide kudasai
Please take off your shoes.
ぼうしをとるbōshi o toru
take off a hat
めがねをはずすmegane o hazusu
take off glasses

Traditional clothing

きものkimono
kimono
ゆかたyukata
light cotton summer kimono
おびobi
kimono sash
げたgeta
wooden sandals

Yukata are popular at summer festivals and in hot spring inns. When wearing a kimono or yukata, the left side goes over the right; right over left is reserved for dressing the deceased.

Accessories

かばんkaban
bag
とけいtokei
watch, clock
ネクタイnekutai
tie
マフラーmafurā
scarf
てぶくろtebukuro
gloves
ゆびわyubiwa
ring
かさkasa
umbrella

Accessories like watches, ties, scarves and rings usually take する: とけいをする, マフラーをする. Gloves can take はめる or する.

Describing outfits

そのふく、にあっていますねsono fuku, niatte imasu ne
Those clothes suit you.
おしゃれですねoshare desu ne
You’re so stylish.
ちょっとおおきいですchotto ōkii desu
It’s a bit big.
ちょうどいいですchōdo ii desu
It fits just right.
くろいくつをはいているひとkuroi kutsu o haite iru hito
the person wearing black shoes

Combine clothing with colours to describe anyone: あおいシャツをきているひと, the person in the blue shirt.

Dress codes in Japan

Business: dark suits are standard; in summer, many offices follow Cool Biz, allowing no tie and no jacket.
Temples and shrines: no strict code, but modest clothing is appreciated.
Onsen and gyms: some facilities have rules about tattoos; check before you go.
Shoes off indoors: wear socks without holes when visiting homes or traditional restaurants!

Which verb?0/4

Wear shoes:
Wear a hat:
Wear glasses:
Wear a jacket:

Frequently asked questions

How do you say clothes in Japanese?

Clothes is 服 (fuku). Many clothing items are katakana loanwords such as シャツ (shirt), スカート (skirt) and コート (coat).

How do you say to wear in Japanese?

It depends on the item: 着る (kiru) for the upper body, はく (haku) for trousers and shoes, かぶる (kaburu) for hats, かける (kakeru) for glasses and する (suru) for accessories.

How do you say take off in Japanese?

脱ぐ (nugu) for clothes and shoes, とる (toru) for hats and はずす (hazusu) for glasses and accessories.

What verb do you use for wearing a watch in Japanese?

Use する: 時計をする (tokei o suru), 'to wear a watch'. Ties, scarves and rings also use する.