トレーナー
torēnā[to̞ɾe̞ːna̠ː]
The English word 'sweatshirt' is translated into Japanese as トレーナー (torēnā) or スウェットシャツ.
Meaning: loose shirt, usually made of a knit fleece, for athletic wear and now often used as casual apparel (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| トレーナー | torēnā | [to̞ɾe̞ːna̠ː] (narrow) |
| スウェットシャツ | suwettoshatsu | [sɨβ̞e̞t̚to̞ɕa̠t͡sɨ] (narrow) |
A sweatshirt is a loose shirt, usually made of a knit fleece, used for athletic wear or casual apparel. You can use the term フード付きスウェットシャツ to denote a sweatshirt with a hood, or 長袖スウェットシャツ to denote a long-sleeved sweatshirt.
Which one should you use?
トレーナー is the most common way to refer to a sweatshirt in daily Japanese conversation. While スウェットシャツ is the direct loanword for 'sweatshirt', it is used more in fashion catalogs or to describe the specific garment type rather than in casual speech.
How do you pronounce it?
torēnā
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers should note that in Japanese, トレーナー refers to the clothing, whereas in British English, 'trainer' usually refers to a type of shoe.
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the word トレーナー refers to the garment itself, but if you use this word in a sporting context, a Japanese person might think you are talking about a 'person' who is training someone.
- The term トレーナー is a classic example of 'Wasei eigo', or Japanese-made English, where the word has been re-borrowed and re-purposed to mean something different than its original English meaning.
- Japanese fashion often distinguishes between a トレーナー and a パーカー, with the latter specifically referring to a hooded sweatshirt regardless of the fabric.
Examples in context
- 男性の１人は青のスウェットシャツを着ていた。One of the men was wearing a blue sweatshirt.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use スウェットシャツ in a description.Tatoeba #8892990 by bunbuku, translation #8593163 by CK
- 「スウェットシャツのことを何て言いますか？」What do you call a sweatshirt?
- 新しいグレーのトレーナーを買いました。Atarashii guree no toreenaa o kaimashita.I bought a new gray sweatshirt.
- そのトレーナーはとても柔らかいですね。Sono toreenaa wa totemo yawarakai desu ne.That sweatshirt is very soft, isn't it?
Example conversation
Two friends are shopping for clothes in a mall.
- 大翔 Hirotoこのトレーナー、かっこいいよ。Kono toreenaa, kakkoii yo.This sweatshirt is cool.
- 陽葵 Himari本当だ。大翔くん、似合うと思うよ。Hontou da. Hiroto-kun, niau to omou yo.You're right. I think it will look good on you, Hiroto.
- 大翔 Hirotoサイズはこれで大丈夫かな？Saizu wa kore de daijoubu kana?I wonder if this size is okay?
- 陽葵 Himariうん、ちょうどいいと思う。Un, choudo ii to omou.Yeah, I think it's just right.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sweatshirt” translations and entries トレーナー, スウェットシャツ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries スウェットシャツ, トレーナー, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
