Learn Chinese Characters

Meaning

clothes; gown; to dress; to wear

Chinese: 衣服、衣裳;穿衣。

Hear the Four Tones

The same syllable “yi” becomes a different word in each tone. 衣 is the 1st tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.

Stroke Order

Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.

Common Words

  • 衣服yī fuclothes
  • 大衣dà yīovercoat; topcoat; cloak
  • 洗衣机xǐ yī jīwashing machine; washer
  • 上衣shàng yījacket; upper outer garment
  • 衬衣chèn yīshirt

Example Sentence

妈妈把洗好的衣服晾在阳台上。Mā ma bǎ xǐ hǎo de yī fu liàng zài yáng tái shàng.Mom hung the washed clothes on the balcony.

妈妈Mā mamama(marks the object)to washhǎogooddeof衣服yī fuclothesliàngto dry in the airzàiat阳台yáng táibalconyshàngon

Go deeper

Where this character comes from

A pictograph of a robe: a collar at the top with two sleeves and the front folding over. It means ‘clothing’; as a left radical it is written 衤, as in 衬, 裤, 袖.

A way to remember it

A collar up top with sleeves spreading out — a garment.