夾克 / 夹克
jiákè
The English phrase 'jacket' can be translated into Chinese as 夾克 / 夹克 (jiákè) or 上衣.
Meaning: piece of clothing worn on the upper body outside a shirt or blouse (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 夾克 / 夹克 | jiákè |
| 上衣 | shàngyī |
The term 'jacket' refers to a piece of clothing worn on the upper body outside a shirt or blouse.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 上衣 literally means 'upper garment', composed of 上 (upper/above) and 衣 (clothing).
Which one should you use?
夾克 / 夹克 is a phonetic loanword specifically referring to a jacket. In contrast, 上衣 is a broader, more general term that can refer to any top or upper garment, including shirts, blouses or sweaters.
How does it change in a sentence?
When counting a jacket or any upper garment, you must use the classifier 件 (jiàn) before the noun, such as 一件夾克 (one jacket).
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is jiákè.
Did you know?
- In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of a 'jacket' as a separate outer layer was less common than the 袍 (páo) or robe, which served as a single, all-encompassing garment.
- The word 上衣 (shàngyī) is part of a wider system of directional clothing terms. For example, lower garments are called 下衣 (xiàyī), creating a symmetrical linguistic pair of 'upper' and 'lower'.
- While 夾克 is a loanword from 'jacket', it is specifically used for casual or sports jackets. A formal suit jacket is called 西裝外套 (xīzhuāng wàitào), which literally means 'Western style outer coat'.
Examples in context
- 可以看一下那件上衣嗎?Can I take a look at that jacket?This sentence is useful for asking to see a specific 上衣.Tatoeba #3149467 by cienias, translation #12127828 by timmartin
- 這條領帶和那件上衣很配。This tie and that jacket go well together.This sentence is useful for describing how a tie matches a specific 上衣.Tatoeba #349870 by nickyeow, translation #60740 by human600
Sources
- Wiktionary, “jacket” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
