Japanese word

衣

Pronunciation

Romajikoromo

Meaning

  • noungarment

Example

僧侶は白い衣をまといます。sō ryo wa shiro i koromo o ma to i ma su

A monk wears white clothing.

Illustration for 衣 (garment)

More examples

昔の人は季節に合わせて衣を選びました。mukashi no hito wa ki setsu ni a wa se te koromo o era bi ma shi ta

People in the past chose garments according to the season.

Core concept

Centers on a covering worn on the body, from a single garment to clothing as a whole.

Common phrases

  • 衣を着るkoromo o ki ru

    wear a garment

  • 衣をまとうkoromo o ma to u

    drape a garment over oneself

  • 衣を脱ぐkoromo o nu gu

    take off a garment

Similar words

衣服ifuku: A general term for clothing worn on the body, often used in formal writing.
服fuku: A familiar word for the clothes a person wears.
衣装ishō: An outfit selected for a specific occasion, activity, or performance.

Definition in Japanese

身に着けて身体を覆うもの。mi ni tsu ke te shin tai o ō u mo no

Word origin

The native Japanese word 衣 (koromo) is an old clothing term written with 衣, a kanji meaning "clothing"; its deeper origin is uncertain.

Usage tips

  • In Japanese cooking, 衣 (koromo) can also mean the coating around fried food, extending the clothing sense to a layer around an ingredient.

Other meanings

  • clothesnoun

Word lists with this word