衬衣

• Pinyin: chèn yī
• Hanzi breakdown: 衬 = 衤(clothing) + 寸 (inch, phonetic); 衣 = pictograph of a garment, one of the most basic clothing-related characters

Meaning

Shirt; undergarment. Another term for a button-up shirt, sometimes also referring to an undershirt or inner layer.

Largely interchangeable with 衬衫 in modern Chinese, though 衬衣 can also carry the older meaning of an undergarment or inner layer of clothing. Usage varies by region — some areas prefer 衬衣 while others prefer 衬衫 for the same garment.

Examples

1. 天冷了，你要在外套里面穿一件衬衣。 It's getting cold — you should wear a shirt under your coat.
2. 她买了两件新衬衣，一件白的一件粉的。 She bought two new shirts, one white and one pink.
3. 这件衬衣需要熨一下才能穿。 This shirt needs to be ironed before wearing it.

Usage Guide

Context: clothing, everyday, shopping

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 请把衬衣的扣子扣好。(Please button up your shirt properly.)
• 这件衬衣太小了，我穿不了。(This shirt is too small — I can't wear it.)

Don't Say

• 穿衬衣去游泳 (Don't wear a 衬衣 swimming — it refers to formal/casual shirts, not swimwear; say 穿泳衣去游泳)

Origin & History

Compound of 衬 (lining, inner layer) and 衣 (clothing/garment), originally emphasising its role as an inner garment worn under outer layers.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal