ショートパンツ
shōto pantsu[ɕo̞ːto̞ pã̠nt͡sɨ]
In Japanese, 'shorts' can be translated as ショートパンツ (shōto pantsu). Wiktionary also lists ショーツ (shōtsu).
Meaning: leg garment (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ショートパンツ | shōto pantsu | [ɕo̞ːto̞ pã̠nt͡sɨ] (narrow) |
| ショーツ | shōtsu | [ɕo̞ːt͡sɨ] (narrow) |
The term refers to a garment worn on the legs. When discussing shorts as an outer garment, use ショートパンツ to ensure your meaning is clear.
Which one should you use?
While ショートパンツ refers to shorts worn as outer clothing, the word ショーツ is most commonly used to refer to women's underwear or panties. To avoid confusion with underwear, use ショートパンツ when you specifically mean shorts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term ショートパンツ is commonly used in some regions to refer to 'shorts.'
How do you pronounce it?
shōto pantsu
Did you know?
- Because ショートパンツ is a long katakana word, many people simply refer to them as 短パン (tanpan) in casual conversation.
- The phrase ショートパンツ is a 'wasei-eigo' word, meaning it is English-inspired Japanese that is not typically used in this specific combination by native English speakers.
- In Japan, the term ハーフパンツ meaning 'half pants' is frequently used interchangeably with ショートパンツ to describe casual athletic or lounge shorts.
Examples in context
- 迷彩のショートパンツを履く場合、上は何色のTシャツが合いますか？When you wear camo shorts, what colour t-shirt goes with that?This sentence is useful for asking about color coordination when wearing the form ショートパンツ.Tatoeba #74085 by fcbond, translation #329635 by fcbond
- 私は今日、ハーフパンツを履いています。I am wearing shorts today.
- 新しいショートパンツを買いました。Atarashii shōtopantsu o kaimashita.I bought new shorts.
- このショートパンツはとても軽いです。Kono shōtopantsu wa totemo karui desu.These shorts are very light.
Example conversation
Yota and Misaki are deciding what to wear for a walk.
- 陽太 Yota美咲、今日はショートパンツを履く？Misaki, kyō wa shōtopantsu o haku?Misaki, are you wearing shorts today?
- 美咲 Misakiうん、今の季節にはぴったりだよね。Un, ima no kisetsu ni wa pittari da yone.Yeah, they're perfect for this season.
- 陽太 Yota僕もショートパンツにしようかな。Boku mo shōtopantsu ni shiyō kana.I think I'll wear shorts too.
- 美咲 Misakiいいと思うよ。準備してね。Ii to omou yo. Junbi shite ne.I think that's a good idea. Get ready.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shorts” translations and entries ショートパンツ, ショーツ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
