衣
garment · clothes · dressing
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Pictograph of garment.
Symbolism
Clothes, kimono, necessities. Represents what is worn.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Monk's ceremonial robe
Words & Expressions
Words written with 衣
Four-Character Compounds
一衣帯水
いちいたいすい
(being separated only by a) narrow strip of water; narrow strait (channel, river)
天衣無縫
てんいむほう
perfect beauty with no trace of artifice; flawless
粗衣粗食
そいそしょく
simple life; frugal life
暖衣飽食
だんいほうしょく
well-fed and well-dressed
弊衣破帽
へいいはぼう
shabby clothes and an old hat
悪衣悪食
あくいあくしょく
shabby clothes and plain foods
衣冠束帯
いかんそくたい
full Japanese court dress of traditional fashion
飽食暖衣
ほうしょくだんい
being well fed and warmly clothed
錦衣玉食
きんいぎょくしょく
beautiful clothes and fine food; life of luxury
Proverbs & Idioms
衣食足りて礼節を知る
いしょくたりてれいせつをしる
Well-fed and well-clothed, one learns manners
Basic needs must be met before thinking of etiquette
Poetry
秋の田の かりほの庵の 苫をあらみ わが衣手は 露にぬれつつ
Poem #1 from Hyakunin Isshu
春すぎて 夏来にけらし 白妙の 衣ほすてふ 天の香具山
Poem #2 from Hyakunin Isshu
君がため 春の野に出でて 若菜つむ わが衣手に 雪はふりつつ
Poem #15 from Hyakunin Isshu
きりぎりす 鳴くや霜夜の さむしろに 衣かたしき ひとりかも寝む
Poem #91 from Hyakunin Isshu
み吉野の 山の秋風 さ夜ふけて ふるさと寒く 衣うつなり
Poem #94 from Hyakunin Isshu
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 衣 mean in Japanese?
衣 means garment, clothes, dressing.
How do you read 衣?
On'yomi: イ、エ (I, E). Kun'yomi: ころも、きぬ、-ぎ (koromo, kinu, gi).
How many strokes does 衣 have?
衣 has 6 strokes. Its radical is 衣 (clothes).
Is 衣 a good kanji for a tattoo?
衣 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means garment, clothes, dressing. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.