裤子

• Pinyin: kù zi
• Hanzi breakdown: 裤 = 衤(clothing) + 库 (storehouse, phonetic component); 子 = pictograph of a child, used as a noun suffix

Meaning

Trousers; pants. General term for lower-body garments covering each leg separately.

The general word for trousers or pants of any kind. Can refer to jeans, dress trousers, casual pants, etc. Common compound forms include 牛仔裤 (jeans), 短裤 (shorts), and 西裤 (dress trousers). The measure word is 条.

Examples

1. 这条裤子太长了，我穿不了。 These trousers are too long — I can't wear them.
2. 妈妈给我买了一条新裤子。 Mum bought me a new pair of trousers.
3. 你觉得这条裤子好看吗？ Do you think these trousers look good?

Usage Guide

Context: clothing, shopping, everyday

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 我想买一条牛仔裤子。(I want to buy a pair of jeans.)
• 这条裤子是什么颜色的？(What colour are these trousers?)

Don't Say

• 我买了一个裤子。(Don't use 个 as the measure word for trousers — use 条. Say 我买了一条裤子.)

Origin & History

From 裤 (trousers), derived from 衤(clothing radical) + 库 (storehouse, phonetic). The 子 suffix is a common noun suffix in Chinese that does not carry independent meaning here. Trousers were historically called 袴 in classical Chinese.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal