How to Say "Gloves" in Chinese

手套

The English phrase "gloves" is translated into Chinese as 手套.

When expressing the act of wearing or putting on gloves, use the verb 戴 instead of 着 or 穿.

What does it mean word for word?

The word 手套 is a compound of 手 (hand) and 套 (cover/case/sleeve), literally meaning "hand cover".

The term 套 is used in various modern contexts, such as 套路 which originally meant a sequence of martial arts moves but now colloquially means a 'scheme' or 'routine' to trick someone.
In Chinese culture, giving 手套 as a gift is often seen as a gesture of warmth and care, especially for elders, as protecting the hands from cold is linked to overall health.
The character 套 is also used to describe the 'cover' or 'jacket' of a book, making the connection between a glove and a book cover quite direct in Chinese logic.

她买了新手套。
She bought new gloves.
This sentence shows how to describe the purchase of new 手套.
Tatoeba #5684084 by verdastelo9604, translation #5397860 by CH
汤姆戴着手套。
Tom is wearing gloves.
This sentence demonstrates how to use the verb for wearing 手套.
Tatoeba #5863223 by verdastelo9604, translation #2273628 by CK
她在哪買到那雙手套的？
Where did she buy those gloves?
This sentence is useful for asking about the location where a pair of 手套 was bought.
Tatoeba #8091337 by jenny5752, translation #7494584 by CH
我需要一双手套去保暖。
I need a pair of gloves to keep warm.
我经常戴手套儿去散步。
I often wear gloves when I go for a walk.
12 more sentences on Tatoeba

Jia Yi and Jun Jie are preparing to go out in the snow.

佳怡 Jiayi

俊杰，你的手套呢？
Jùnjié, nǐ de shǒutào ne?
Jun Jie, where are your gloves?
俊杰 Junjie

我找不到我的手套。
Wǒ zhǎobudào wǒ de shǒutào.
I can't find my gloves.
佳怡 Jiayi

就在这儿，戴上吧。
Jiù zài zhèr, dài shàng ba.
They are right here, put them on.
俊杰 Junjie

谢谢，佳怡。
Xièxiè, Jiāyí.
Thank you, Jia Yi.

Sources

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