Chinese · Daily Life
衣服
yīfu
Clothes
Beginnernoun
Definition
Things you wear, such as shirts and trousers.
Example
她买了很多新衣服。
She bought a lot of new clothes.
Etymology
The word 衣服 (yīfu) comes from 衣 (yī), meaning 'clothes', and 服 (fu), denoting items of clothing. It reflects the cultural importance of clothing in Chinese society.
How & Where It’s Used
衣服 is widely used in informal spoken and written communication and is common in various social contexts regarding fashion, culture, and daily life.
Literary Heritage
The term appears in sayings about appearances and virtues, such as '人靠衣装，马靠鞍' (rén kào yīzhuāng, mǎ kào ān).