穿着

• Pinyin: chuān zhuó
• Hanzi breakdown: 穿 = 穴 (cave) + 牙 (tooth) = to wear; 着 = 羊 (sheep) + 目 (eye) = aspect marker

Meaning

Attire; clothing; dress. What someone is wearing or their style of dress.

As a noun, refers to one's outfit or style of dressing. 穿着打扮 (dress and grooming) is a common phrase. Can indicate formality level, fashion sense, or social status. More formal than just 穿的.

Examples

1. 她的穿着总是很得体，从不显得过于张扬。 Her attire is always appropriate, never too flashy.
2. 面试时穿着打扮很重要，第一印象决定很多。 Dressing properly is important for interviews; first impressions count for a lot.
3. 他穿着朴素，看不出是个亿万富翁。 He dresses simply; you can't tell he's a billionaire.

Usage Guide

Context: fashion, social, descriptive

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 正式场合要注意穿着。(Pay attention to your attire on formal occasions.)
• 从穿着来看，他应该是个商人。(Judging by his attire, he should be a businessman.)

Don't Say

• 我的穿着是蓝色的 (穿着 refers to overall attire, not color — for describing a specific garment's color, use 我穿的是蓝色的)

Origin & History

Compound of 穿 (to wear) and 着 (aspect marker, attached). As a noun, refers to the state or manner of wearing clothes.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal