下着

• Reading: したぎ
• Romaji: shitagi
• Kanji breakdown: 下 (ka/ge/shita) — under, below; 着 (chaku/ki/gi) — wear, clothing
• Pronunciation: /ɕi.ta.ɡi/

Meaning

Underwear; undergarments. Clothing worn under outer garments.

A general term covering all types of underwear for both men and women. Composed of 下 (shita, under/below) and 着 (gi, wearing/clothing). In stores, the underwear section is typically labelled 下着売り場 (shitagi uriba).

Examples

1. 旅行の前に新しい下着を買った。 I bought new underwear before the trip.
2. 下着は毎日洗濯します。 I wash my underwear every day.
3. この店は下着の種類が多い。 This store has a wide variety of underwear.

Usage Guide

Context: clothing, shopping, laundry

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 下 (shita, under/below) and 着 (gi, clothing/wear). Literally 'under-clothing,' a straightforward descriptive compound.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal