領子 / 领子
lǐngzi
In Chinese, the English phrase "collar" is translated as 領子 / 领子 (lǐngzi), 領 / 领 or 衣領 / 衣领.
Meaning: fabric garment part fitting around throat (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 領子 / 领子 | lǐngzi |
| 領 / 领 | lǐng |
| 衣領 / 衣领 | yīlǐng |
All forms refer to the part of a garment that fits around the throat.
What does it mean word for word?
The form 衣領 / 衣领 is a compound where 衣 means 'clothing' and 領 means 'collar'.
Which one should you use?
衣領 / 衣领 is a more precise term for a clothing collar.
How do you pronounce it?
lǐngzi
Did you know?
- In Chinese, the word for 'collar' 領 is also used in the word for 'leader' or 'director' 領導, because leading someone was metaphorically like taking them by the neck.
- While 領子 refers to the fabric, using 領 alone can also mean 'to receive' or 'to collect' something, such as a salary or a prize.
- The character 領 was originally a picture of a person's neck, but over time its meaning expanded to describe the act of leading or guiding others.
Examples in context
- 这件衬衫的领口很宽。The collar of this shirt is wide.
- 我需要修补这件外套的领口。I need to repair the collar of this coat.
- 这件T恤的衣领有点脏了。The collar of this T-shirt is a bit dirty.
- 我喜欢把上衣的衣领翻起来。I like to flip up the collar of my shirt.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “collar” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 領, CC BY-SA 4.0.
