T恤
tī-xù
The English phrase "t-shirt" is expressed in Chinese as T恤 (tī-xù). Wiktionary also lists T恤衫 (tī-xùshān) and 體恤衫 / 体恤衫 (tǐxùshān).
Meaning: type of shirt (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| T恤 | tī-xù |
| T恤衫 | tī-xùshān |
| 體恤衫 / 体恤衫 | tǐxùshān |
| 汗衫 | hànshān |
| 文化衫 | wénhuàshān |
The term refers to a type of shirt.
Which one should you use?
T恤 refers specifically to a T-shirt. In contrast, 汗衫 (hànshān) literally means "sweat shirt" and is often used for thin undershirts or tank tops used for cooling. Additionally, 文化衫 (wénhuàshān) is a specific term used for T-shirts printed with logos or slogans for promotional, cultural or event-based purposes.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some areas including Guangdong and Hong Kong, some Cantonese speakers say T恤衣 instead of T恤衫.
How does it change in a sentence?
When counting T-shirts, you should use the measure word 件 (jiàn) instead of the general measure word 个 (gè). A natural way to say "one T-shirt" is 一件T恤 (yí jiàn T-xù).
How do you pronounce it?
tī-xù
Did you know?
- The character 恤 in T恤 usually means 'to pity' or 'to sympathize' in traditional Chinese contexts.
- The Chinese word T恤 was originally borrowed through Cantonese speakers because the pronunciation of 恤 closely matched the English word 'shirt'.
- The structure of the word T恤衫 reveals a linguistic hybrid. It combines the English loanword 'T-shirt' with the Cantonese-influenced suffix 衫, which is used to denote a single piece of clothing.
Examples in context
- 我喜欢这件白色的T恤。Wǒ xǐhuān zhè jiàn báisè de T-xù.I like this white T-shirt.
- 这件T恤很舒服。Zhè jiàn T-xù hěn shūfu.This T-shirt is very comfortable.
- 你需要买一件新的T恤吗？Nǐ xūyào mǎi yī jiàn xīn de T-xù ma?Do you need to buy a new T-shirt?
Example conversation
In a clothing store.
- 浩然 Haoran晓雯，你看这件T恤怎么样？Xiǎowén, nǐ kàn zhè jiàn T-xù zěnmeyàng?Xiaowen, what do you think of this T-shirt?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen颜色很好看，很适合你。Yánsè hěn hǎokàn, hěn shìhé nǐ.The color looks great, it suits you well.
- 浩然 Haoran可是，我觉得这件有点大。Kěshì, wǒ juéde zhè jiàn yǒudiǎn dà.But, I think this one is a bit big.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen那我们可以试试小一点的。Nà wǒmen kěyǐ shìshì xiǎo yīdiǎn de.Then we can try a smaller one.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “t-shirt” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries T恤, T恤衫, CC BY-SA 4.0.
