裳 (shang) - Skirt & lower garment

裳Tone 5

shang ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

上姝

裳 · shang

Skirt;

lower garment;

clothing (archaic);

specifically refers to the lower part of traditional Chinese attire, distinct from the upper garment.

Skirtlower garmentclothing (archaic)

Usage highlights

Clothing and skirtUpper garment and lower skirtRed skirtDancing skirtSilk skirtAncient skirt

Synonyms

  • 裙— skirt
  • 衣— clothing (upper garment)
  • 服— clothing, garments

Antonyms

  • 衣— upper garment (when used in contrast to lower garment)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • She wore a beautiful skirt (裙子).
  • In ancient times, clothing consisted of an upper and lower garment (上衣下裳).
  • The dancers wore colorful skirts (彩裳).
  • Traditional Chinese skirt(裳服)

Collocations

  • Clothing and skirt(衣裳)
  • Upper garment and lower skirt(上衣下裳)
  • Red skirt(红裳)
  • Dancing skirt(舞裳)
  • Silk skirt(罗裳)
  • Ancient skirt(古裳)

Idioms

  • Clothes make the man(佛靠金装，人靠衣装)
  • Dressed in red and green(红裳翠袖)
  • Dancing in rainbow skirts and feather garments(霓裳羽衣)
  • Tattered clothes and worn skirt(破衣烂裳)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient China, '裳' specifically referred to the lower garment or skirt, while '衣' referred to the upper garment.
  • The term appears in classical texts like the Book of Songs, indicating its long history in Chinese clothing culture.
  • In modern usage, '衣裳' has become a general term for clothing, though '裳' alone still carries classical connotations.

FAQ