ドレス
doresu[do̞ɾe̞sɨ]
The English word 'dress' can be translated into Japanese using several terms depending on the context, with ドレス (doresu) being the default form. Wiktionary also lists ワンピース (wanpīsu) and 服 (fuku).
Meaning: item of clothing which both covers the upper part of the body and includes a skirt below the waist (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ドレス | doresu | [do̞ɾe̞sɨ] (narrow) |
| ワンピース | wanpīsu | [β̞ã̠mpʲiːsɨ] (narrow) |
| 服 | fuku | [ɸɯ̟kɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 衣服 | ifuku | [iɸɯ̟̊kɯ̟] (narrow) |
In Japanese, the word used for a dress depends heavily on whether you are describing formal evening wear or casual everyday clothing. ドレス is specifically used for elegant, ceremonial or formal attire like ball gowns. For general items of clothing, the term 服 is used to refer to clothes or a dress in a broad sense.
Which one should you use?
ドレス refers to formal, elegant evening wear. In contrast, ワンピース is the more common, colloquial term used for everyday dresses or one-piece outfits. Additionally, while 服 is the standard word for clothes in daily speech, 衣服 is a formal or technical term meaning 'clothing'.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
doresu
Did you know?
- The kanji for 服 is also used in the word 服用, which refers to taking medicine, connecting the idea of 'wearing' to 'consuming' or 'taking in'.
- While English speakers use 'one-piece' to describe a type of swimsuit, in Japanese, ワンピース is the standard everyday word for a dress.
- While ドレス is borrowed from English, it is often paired with the word アップ in ドレスアップ to mean dressing up for a party, regardless of whether a dress is actually worn.
Examples in context
- あのドレス大好き。I love that dress.This sentence shows how to express affection for a specific ドレス.Tatoeba #2097873 by bunbuku, translation #1887550 by CK
- この服似合うかしら？Does this dress look OK on me?This sentence uses 服 to ask if a piece of clothing looks good on the speaker.Tatoeba #219959 by bunbuku, translation #57279 by CK
- 彼女は青い服に決めた。She decided on a blue dress.This sentence uses 服 to describe a choice of clothing color.Tatoeba #88330 by bunbuku, translation #315377 by CK
- フォーマルなイベントに参加する場合、適切な 服 を着ることが重要です。If you are attending a formal event, it is important to wear the appropriate dress.
- 彼女は花柄の ワンピース を着て、とても美しく見えました。She looked beautiful in her floral dress.
- 199 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Misaki are shopping for a party outfit.
- 健太 Kentaそのドレス、とても素敵だね。Sono doresu, totemo suteki dane.That dress is very lovely.
- 美咲 Misaki本当？ありがとう、健太君。Honto? Arigato, Kenta-kun.Really? Thank you, Kenta.
- 健太 Kentaパーティーにぴったりだと思うよ。Paatii ni pittari da to omou yo.I think it's perfect for the party.
- 美咲 Misaki嬉しい！これを買うことにするね。Ureshii! Kore o kau koto ni suru ne.I'm so happy! I'll buy this one.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dress” translations and entries ドレス, ワンピース, 服, 衣服, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
