木綿
momen[kʲiβ̞a̠ta̠]
The Japanese word for cotton is 木綿 (momen). Wiktionary also lists 綿生地 (menkiji) and コットン (kotton).
Meaning: fabric (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 木綿 | momen | [kʲiβ̞a̠ta̠] (narrow) [mo̞mẽ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
| 綿生地 | menkiji | |
| コットン | kotton | [ko̞t̚tõ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
If you are specifically referring to the textile or the material itself, you can use 綿生地. Additionally, the single character 綿 can be used to denote cotton fiber or cotton wool.
Which one should you use?
綿生地 is used specifically when you want to emphasize the cotton fabric or textile rather than the plant or a finished garment.
How do you pronounce it?
momen
Did you know?
- The word 木綿 is a fascinating example of 'jukujikun', where the characters for 'tree' and 'cotton' are used for a word whose original reading had nothing to do with those specific meanings.
- The reading of 木綿 might originate from the ancient word for 'to tie up', referencing how cotton strings were used to tie branches in Shinto rituals.
- While コットン is a direct loan from 'cotton', using 木綿 often evokes a sense of traditional Japanese craft and heritage textiles.
Examples in context
- コットンの服が好き。I like cotton clothes.This sentence is useful for expressing a preference for clothes made of コットン.Tatoeba #11795620 by small_snow, translation #11156196 by ddnktr
- コットンブラウスです。This blouse is cotton.This sentence is useful for describing a blouse made of コットン.Tatoeba #11683078 by small_snow, translation #60571 by CK
- 私は木綿のシャツを２枚買った。I bought two cotton shirts.This sentence is useful for describing the purchase of shirts made of 木綿.Tatoeba #152577 by bunbuku, translation #261972 by CK
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Himari and Yota are looking at clothes in a store.
- 陽葵 Himariこのシャツは木綿ですか？Kono shatsu wa momen desu ka?Is this shirt made of cotton?
- 陽太 Yotaはい、100％木綿ですよ。Hai, hyakupaasento momen desu yo.Yes, it is 100% cotton.
- 陽葵 Himari肌触りがとてもいいですね。Hadazawari ga totemo ii desu ne.It feels very soft against the skin.
- 陽太 Yota木綿は心地いいですからね。Momen wa kokochi ii desu kara ne.Cotton is very comfortable, isn't it?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cotton” translations and entries 木綿, コットン, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries コットン, 木綿, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
