牛仔裤

• Pinyin: niú zǎi kù
• Hanzi breakdown: 牛 = pictograph of a cow; 仔 = 亻(person) + 子 (child), young/offspring; 裤 = 衤(clothing) + 库 (storehouse)

Meaning

Jeans; denim pants. Casual trousers made of denim fabric.

Originally workwear for cowboys (牛仔 literally means cowboy), now a universal fashion item. Comes in various styles: 直筒牛仔裤 (straight-leg), 紧身牛仔裤 (skinny jeans), 阔腿牛仔裤 (wide-leg jeans). A staple of casual fashion worldwide.

Examples

1. 这条牛仔裤穿着很舒服，而且很百搭。 These jeans are very comfortable to wear and go with everything.
2. 她喜欢把牛仔裤配上白色T恤。 She likes to pair jeans with a white T-shirt.
3. 洗牛仔裤的时候最好翻过来洗，这样不容易掉色。 When washing jeans, it's best to turn them inside out so they don't fade.

Usage Guide

Context: fashion, shopping, everyday

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 这条牛仔裤是今年的新款。(These jeans are this year's new style.)
• 牛仔裤配运动鞋很好看。(Jeans look great with sneakers.)

Don't Say

• 我穿牛仔裤去参加婚礼。(Don't wear jeans to formal events like weddings — too casual)

Origin & History

牛仔 (niúzǎi, cowboy) + 裤 (kù, pants). Named after the durable work pants worn by American cowboys.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal