衣 meaning and stroke order
Cloth; clothes, apparel; dress, coat
How to write 衣, stroke by stroke
6 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Meaning of 衣
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- clothes
- Kangxi radical 145
- to dress
- to wear
- to put on (clothes)
How 衣 is built
Pictographic character. A woman's dress.
How to remember 衣
衣 (yī) is a picture of a garment. The 亠 on top is the collar and neck, and the strokes below spread out like the sleeves and flowing hem of a dress.
衣 rarely stands alone in modern speech. It mostly appears inside words like 衣服 (yīfu, clothes), 毛衣 (máoyī, sweater) and 洗衣机 (xǐyījī, washing machine). Example: 我去买衣服。(Wǒ qù mǎi yīfu.) I'm going to buy clothes.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 衣 with 农 (nóng, farming), which has a similar bottom but a different top. Also note that in 衣服 the 服 is usually read in the neutral tone, yīfu, not yī fú.
Common words with 衣
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 衣服 | yīfu | clothes | HSK 1 |
| 大衣 | dàyī | overcoat; topcoat | HSK 2 |
| 洗衣机 | xǐyījī | washing machine; washer | HSK 2 |
| 上衣 | shàngyī | jacket; upper outer garment | HSK 3 |
| 衬衣 | chènyī | shirt | HSK 3 |
| 衣架 | yījià | clothes hanger; clothes rack | HSK 3 |
| 毛衣 | máoyī | (wool) sweater | HSK 4 |
| 内衣 | nèiyī | undergarment; underwear | HSK 6 |
| 外衣 | wàiyī | outer clothing; semblance | HSK 6 |
| 雨衣 | yǔyī | raincoat | HSK 6 |
| 洗衣粉 | xǐyīfěn | laundry detergent; washing powder | HSK 6 |
| 更衣室 | gēngyīshì | change room; dressing room; locker room; (euphemism) toilet | HSK 7-9 |
| 节衣缩食 | jiéyī-suōshí | to save on food and clothing (idiom); to live frugally | HSK 7-9 |
| 衣食住行 | yī-shí-zhù-xíng | (lit.) clothing, food, housing and transportation (idiom); (fig.) people's basic needs | HSK 7-9 |
衣 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 衣
Learning 衣 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 衣
How many strokes are in 衣?
衣 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 衣 mean?
衣 (yī) means cloth; clothes, apparel; dress, coat. A common word with it is 衣服 (yīfu), meaning "clothes".
How do you pronounce 衣?
衣 is pronounced yī, in the first tone (high and level).
Is 衣 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 衣 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What does 衣 look like when it is part of another character?
On the left side it usually shrinks to 衤, as in 衬 (chèn) and 裤 (kù, pants). Do not mix up 衤 with 礻, which has one fewer stroke and relates to spirits or rituals.
When is 衣 pronounced yì instead of yī?
The yì reading is a literary verb meaning to wear or to dress someone. You will mostly meet it in classical texts and set phrases, not in everyday conversation.