When you're talking about clothes in Japanese, you'll often hear the word 洋服 (yōfuku). This specifically refers to Western-style clothing, like the jeans, t-shirts, and dresses you probably wear every day. It's a useful word to know because it distinguishes these modern clothes from traditional Japanese attire such as kimonos.
Understanding this distinction is helpful in many everyday conversations, especially when discussing shopping or describing what people are wearing. So, if you're looking for a new outfit at a department store, you'd be looking for 洋服.
When talking about clothing in Japanese, it's useful to know the distinction between traditional Japanese attire and Western-style clothing. While 和服 (wafuku) refers to traditional Japanese garments like kimonos, 洋服 (yōfuku) is the term for Western-style clothes that are commonly worn today, such as shirts, pants, and dresses. So, if you're shopping for everyday wear in Japan, you'll likely be looking for 洋服. It's a fundamental word for discussing modern fashion and daily life in Japan.
Fun Fact
The character 洋 (yō) is also used in words like 洋食 (yōshoku, 'Western food') and 太平洋 (Taiheiyō, 'Pacific Ocean'), reflecting its association with the West or things from overseas.
Pronunciation Guide
- The 'ou' in 'you' is a long vowel, make sure to pronounce it as a single, extended sound, not two separate vowels.
- The 'u' in 'fu' is often devoiced at the end of a word or when between voiceless consonants, making it sound more like 'f-ss' or 'f-t'.
Difficulty Rating
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What to Learn Next
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Examples by Level
私は新しい洋服を買いに行きます。
I'm going to buy new clothes.
この店にはおしゃれな洋服がたくさんあります。
This store has a lot of stylish clothes.
彼女はいつも素敵な洋服を着ています。
She always wears wonderful clothes.
パーティーのためにどんな洋服を着たらいいですか。
What kind of clothes should I wear for the party?
この洋服は私には少し小さいです。
These clothes are a little small for me.
彼はいつもシンプルな洋服を選びます。
He always chooses simple clothes.
冬には暖かい洋服が必要です。
Warm clothes are necessary in winter.
この洋服はとても着心地が良いです。
These clothes are very comfortable to wear.
Word Origin
From 洋 (yō, 'Western') + 服 (fuku, 'clothing').
Original meaning: Western clothing
Sino-JapaneseCultural Context
The term 洋服 (yōfuku) emerged as Japan began to open up to the West in the mid-19th century. Before this, clothing styles were predominantly traditional Japanese, such as kimonos. Today, while 洋服 is the standard for everyday wear, traditional Japanese clothing still holds a significant place for ceremonies and cultural events.
Test Yourself 36 questions
Which of these is most likely considered 洋服 (yōfuku)?
洋服 (yōfuku) refers to Western-style clothing. Kimono, yukata, and samurai armor are all traditional Japanese clothing.
When talking about clothes you wear every day, like a t-shirt and jeans, which word would you most likely use?
洋服 (yōfuku) is used for Western-style clothes, which includes common everyday wear like t-shirts and jeans. The other options refer to traditional Japanese clothing.
If you see a store selling '洋服', what kind of items would you expect to find inside?
洋服 (yōfuku) means Western-style clothes. Therefore, a store selling 洋服 would sell modern clothing like dresses and trousers, not traditional items.
A pair of denim jeans is an example of 洋服 (yōfuku).
Denim jeans are a type of Western-style clothing, so they are considered 洋服 (yōfuku).
The word 洋服 (yōfuku) specifically refers to traditional Japanese attire.
洋服 (yōfuku) refers to Western-style clothes, not traditional Japanese attire. Traditional Japanese attire is called 和服 (wafuku).
You would typically wear 洋服 (yōfuku) to a formal tea ceremony in Japan.
While you can wear 洋服 (yōfuku) in many situations, for a formal tea ceremony, people typically wear traditional Japanese clothing like a kimono.
You are going shopping for clothes with a friend. Write a simple sentence in Japanese saying "Let's go buy Western clothes."
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
洋服を買いに行きましょう。
You want to tell someone that you like Western clothes. Write a simple sentence in Japanese expressing this.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
私は洋服が好きです。
You are packing for a trip and need to mention bringing Western clothes. Write a simple Japanese sentence saying "I will bring Western clothes."
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
洋服を持っていきます。
What kind of clothes is the passage talking about?
Read this passage:
これは私の新しい洋服です。とてもかわいいです。来週、これを着て学校に行きます。
What kind of clothes is the passage talking about?
The word '洋服' (yōfuku) specifically means Western-style clothes.
The word '洋服' (yōfuku) specifically means Western-style clothes.
What does the store sell?
Read this passage:
あの店は色々な洋服を売っています。安くて、デザインもいいです。よく買い物に行きます。
What does the store sell?
The passage states 'あの店は色々な洋服を売っています' (Ano mise wa iroiro na yōfuku o utte imasu), which means 'That store sells various Western-style clothes.'
The passage states 'あの店は色々な洋服を売っています' (Ano mise wa iroiro na yōfuku o utte imasu), which means 'That store sells various Western-style clothes.'
What kind of Western clothes are good for Japanese summer?
Read this passage:
日本の夏は暑いですから、薄い洋服がいいです。Tシャツや半ズボンは快適です。
What kind of Western clothes are good for Japanese summer?
The passage says '薄い洋服がいいです' (Usui yōfuku ga ii desu - thin Western clothes are good) and mentions 'Tシャツや半ズボンは快適です' (Tīshatsu ya hanzubon wa kaiteki desu - T-shirts and shorts are comfortable).
The passage says '薄い洋服がいいです' (Usui yōfuku ga ii desu - thin Western clothes are good) and mentions 'Tシャツや半ズボンは快適です' (Tīshatsu ya hanzubon wa kaiteki desu - T-shirts and shorts are comfortable).
This sentence means 'I want new Western-style clothes.' The particles connect the words logically.
This means 'She always wears nice Western-style clothes.' The order follows a common Japanese sentence structure.
This translates to 'I bought Western-style clothes at the department store.' The location 'デパートで' comes first.
デパートで新しい___を買いました。
文脈から、デパートで一般的に購入する「新しい服」を指すため、「洋服」が適切です。
休日はカジュアルな___を着ることが多いです。
「カジュアルな」という形容詞から、普段着である「洋服」が適しています。
パーティーのために、おしゃれな___を選びました。
パーティーに着ていくものは「おしゃれな服」であり、「洋服」が適切です。
彼はいつもきちんとした___を着ています。
「きちんとした」という表現から、普段から着用する整った服装である「洋服」が自然です。
日本の伝統的な___とは対照的に、___は日常的に着られます。
「伝統的なものと対照的に日常的に着られるもの」という文脈に合うのは「和服と洋服」の組み合わせです。
旅行には、動きやすい___を持っていくべきです。
旅行に持っていく「動きやすい服」として「洋服」が適切です。
デパートで新しい___を買いました。
文脈から、デパートで一般的に購入される現代的な衣服を指す「洋服」が適切です。「和服」「着物」「浴衣」は伝統的な日本の衣服を指します。
彼女はいつも素敵な___を着ていますね。
「素敵な洋服」という表現が自然で、日常的なおしゃれな服装を意味します。他の選択肢は特定の伝統的な衣服です。
パーティーにはどんな___を着て行きますか？
パーティーに着ていくのは通常、現代的なフォーマルまたはカジュアルな服装である「洋服」です。他の選択肢は日本の伝統的な衣服であり、パーティーには不適切です。
「洋服」は日本の伝統的な衣服を指します。
「洋服」は西洋風の衣服を指し、日本の伝統的な衣服（和服）とは対義語です。
現代の日本で普段着としてよく着られるのは「洋服」です。
現代の日本では、ほとんどの人が日常的に西洋風の衣服である「洋服」を着ています。
結婚式で新郎新婦が「洋服」を着ることはありません。
日本の結婚式では、和装と洋装の両方が一般的です。新郎新婦がタキシードやウェディングドレスといった「洋服」を着ることはよくあります。
She often complains about buying too many Western clothes.
The top floor of the department store features the latest Western clothing brands.
Traditional kimonos are beautiful, but Western clothes are still more convenient for daily life.
Read this aloud:
この洋服、私には少し派手すぎるかもしれません。
Focus: 派手すぎる
You said:
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Read this aloud:
彼はいつも流行の洋服を着こなしています。
Focus: 着こなしています
You said:
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Read this aloud:
新しい洋服を買いに、週末にショッピングモールへ行く予定です。
Focus: 買い物に行く
You said:
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/ 36 correct
Perfect score!
Example
彼女はいつもおしゃれな洋服を着ている。
Related Content
Related Phrases
More clothing words
おしゃれ
A2Stylish, fashionable, well-dressed (na-adjective).
〜円
A2Yen, the currency of Japan.
着物
A2Traditional Japanese garment, often worn for special occasions.
素材
B1Material or fabric, the basic substance of clothing.
生地
A2Fabric or cloth, woven material for clothing.
汚れ
A2Dirt or a stain on clothing.
しわ
A2A wrinkle or crease in fabric.
緩む
B1To loosen (intransitive, e.g., a belt).
ネクタイ
A2A necktie, worn around the collar of a shirt.
制服
A2A uniform, standardized clothing worn by members of an organization.
