‘To wear’ in Japanese is kiru... It’s also haku, kaburu, kakeru… and the list goes on! Depending on which article of clothing you are wearing, there is a suitable corresponding verb to mean ‘wear’.
It’s easy enough to get the hang of, as each of the different verbs are designated to respective categories of clothes – clothing worn on the top half or bottom half, on the feet, on the head and so on and so forth.
Let’s take a look!
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Kiru
着る
To wear (on torso)
Kiru (着る / きる) is the verb used when talking about wearing anything on the torso. This ranges from shirts to jackets to dresses.
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It is the most common verb related to wearing clothes, and can be used as a general term if you can’t recall the suitable verb choice for what type of clothes you are wearing!
An easy way to remember kiru is the fact that the kanji character makes up half of the word kimono (着物 / きもの), the traditional Japanese outfit which literally translates as ‘thing to wear’ (ki – wear, mono – thing).
Example:
Mainichi seifuku o kiru
毎日制服を着る。
まいにちせいふくをきる
I wear a uniform every day
Haku
履く
To wear (lower body)
Haku (履く / はく) is the verb used when talking about wearing anything from the waist down. This includes clothing items like trousers and skirts, but also shoes!
Example:
ie de wa surippa o haku
家ではスリッパを履く
いえではスリッパをはく
I wear slippers at home
Haoru
羽織る
To wear (over shoulders)
You may recognise the verb haoru (羽織る / はおる) from the word haori (羽織 / はおり), a traditional Japanese jacket worn over a kimono.
Haoru is used in relation to clothing that you cover your shoulders with such as a haori. It is common to use when describing wearing coats, robes or swimsuit cover ups. However, if you want to keep things simple, you can also use kiru in these situations.
Example:
Kanojo wa kādigan o haotte dekaketa.
彼女はカーディガンを羽織って出かけた。
かのじょはカーディガンをはおってでかけた。
She threw on a cardigan and went out.
Kaburu
被る
To wear (on head)
Kaburu (被る / かぶる) is used when describing something worn on top of the head.
The kanji also has the meaning ‘cover’ or ‘veil’, which is what you are technically doing when wearing a hat or cap!
Example:
Natsu wa kyappu o kaburu
夏はキャップを被る
なつはキャップをかぶる
I wear a cap in summer
Kakeru
かける
To hang
Similarly to the previous verb, kakeru (かける) is to do with items worn on the head. Although rather than things worn on top of the head, kakeru relates to what you ‘hang’ on your head.
Kakeru is often used as the verb ‘to hang’, i.e. to hang up a painting. However, clothing wise, the best examples of its usage would be with glasses or even a necklace.
Example:
Unten suru toki, megane o kakeru
運転するとき、めがねをかける
うんてんするとき、めがねをかける
I wear glasses when I drive.
Suru
する
To wear (accessories)
You may recognise suru (する) as the verb ‘to do’ in Japanese. Well, suru is a very versatile verb which can be used in many ways, including to mean ‘to wear’, specifically relating to accessories.
Example:
Kare wa intabyuu no tame ni, nekutai wo shiteimashita
彼はインタビューのために、ネクタイをしていました
かれはいんたびゅーのために、ねくたいをしていました
He wore a neck tie for his interview
Tsukeru
付ける
To wear
Tsukeru (付ける / つける) is a verb which is usually used to mean ‘to attach’ or ‘to affix’.
In the right context, it can also be used to mean ‘to wear’ or ‘to put on’ in Japanese, for instance when speaking about wearing accessories, perfume or makeup!
Maku
巻く
To wear (wrap)
Maku (巻く / まく) translates as ‘to wind’ or ‘to coil’. It is used in conjunction with clothing items that you may wrap around yourself, such as a scarf, a turban, a ribbon etc.
Nugu
脱ぐ
To remove / undress
Luckily, when you want to remove a piece of clothing, there are not nearly as many variations! Nugu (脱ぐ / ぬぐ) can be used to describe taking off most clothing items, whether it be tops, bottoms or shoes.
Hazusu
外す
To take off (accessories)
Hazusu (外す / はずす) is also used when you want to express taking off something, particularly accessories. It can be translated to mean ‘unfasten’ or ‘remove’.
Shichaku
試着
To try on
Shichaku (試着 / しちゃく) means to ‘try on’ in Japanese.
If you go clothes shopping in Japan and want to try a piece of clothing on for size before deciding to purchase, simply ask: shichaku shite mo ii desu ka? (試着してもいいですか).
Good news, you can use this one phrase for a range of different clothing, regardless of the category of clothing.
Related posts
- Words for Clothes in Japanese
- Talk About Your Daily Routine in Japanese
- Complete Guide to Traditional Japanese Clothing
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Hannah is a half Irish/half Japanese girl living in Ireland. Her love for Japan and the Japanese language led her to studying languages and translation in university where she specialised in Japanese. She spent a year studying abroad at Rikkyo University in Tokyo. In her free time, Hannah enjoys using her sewing machine to upcycle clothes and create new pieces!