着物
kimono[kʲimo̞no̞]
The English phrase 'kimono' is 着物 in Japanese. Wiktionary also lists 和服 (wafuku).
Meaning: traditional Japanese clothing (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 着物 | kimono | [kʲimo̞no̞] (narrow) |
| 和服 | wafuku | [β̞a̠ɸɯ̟̊kɯ̟] (narrow) |
In modern Japanese, the term 着物 is often used colloquially to refer to any traditional Japanese garment, even though technically it refers to a specific type of T-shaped robe.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 着物 is composed of the verb 着 (ki, to wear) and 物 (mono, thing).
Which one should you use?
While 着物 is the common term, 和服 is a more precise term used to distinguish Japanese clothing from Western clothing (洋服, yōfuku).
How do you pronounce it?
kimono
Did you know?
- The way a 着物 is tied involves a wide belt called an obi, and there are dozens of complex knots that signal the wearer's age and marital status.
- The term 和服 uses the character 和 ('wa'), which refers to harmony and is the traditional name for Japan itself.
- Depending on the occasion, a 着物 may be paired with tabi, traditional split-toe socks that allow the wearer to fit their feet into thonged sandals.
Examples in context
- 着物は着ますか。Do you wear a kimono?Tatoeba #126595 by bunbuku, translation #277453 by CM
- 着物姿、素敵ね。You look lovely in a kimono.Tatoeba #11855726 by small_snow, translation #11855721 by sundown
- 着物に足袋は欠かせません。In a kimono, tabi can't be absent.Tatoeba #9779204 by small_snow, translation #10212924 by terrywallwork
- 彼女は美しい着物を着ています。She is wearing a beautiful kimono.
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Kenta are looking at an old photo in a family album.
- 美咲 Misaki健太さん、この着物は誰のですか？Kenta-san, kono kimono wa dare no desu ka?Kenta, whose kimono is this?
- 健太 Kentaそれは祖母の着物だよ。Sore wa sobo no kimono da yo.That is my grandmother's kimono.
- 美咲 Misakiとても上品な色ですね。Totemo jouhin na iro desu ne.It is a very elegant color.
- 健太 Kenta大切に保管してあるんだ。Taisetsu ni hokan shite aru nda.It is being kept carefully.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kimono” translations and entries 着物, 和服, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
