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裳 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
chánglower garmentng, 14 strokes, radical 衣, Very Hard
chángskirt, petticoat; beautifulng, 14 strokes, radical 衣, Very Hard
chángskirtsng, 14 strokes, radical 衣, Very Hard
chángpetticoatsng, 14 strokes, radical 衣, Very Hard
chánggarmentsng, 14 strokes, radical 衣, Very Hard
shanglower garmentng, 14 strokes, radical 衣, Very Hard
shangskirt, petticoat; beautifulng, 14 strokes, radical 衣, Very Hard
shangskirtsng, 14 strokes, radical 衣, Very Hard
shangpetticoatsng, 14 strokes, radical 衣, Very Hard
shanggarmentsng, 14 strokes, radical 衣, Very Hard
cháng(chang2)
primary
T2
  1. 1lower garment
  2. 2skirt, petticoat; beautiful
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
cháng(chang2)

The character 裳 (cháng) refers to a type of lower garment, such as a skirt or petticoat. It is often used in the context of traditional Chinese clothing, where it signifies elegance and beauty in attire. This term can also be used more generally to describe beautiful garments.

Strokes14RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the type of lower garments like 裳 was crucial for indicating social status and identity, especially during festivals or ceremonies. The use of elegant skirts reflects the appreciation for beauty and artistry in clothing.

Memory Tip

Imagine a flowing skirt blowing in the wind, resembling a 'charming' appearance (sounds like 'cháng'). The radical 衣 (yī) represents clothing, reinforcing the connection to garments. Picture a lovely dress that makes you feel beautiful every time you wear it.

Meanings of 裳

cháng(chang2)
primary
1lower garment
2skirt, petticoat; beautiful
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 裳

Simplified
14Strokes
Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 裳

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AI Study Notes for 裳

Quick Contrast

裙 (qún) - use 裳 for traditional or elegant lower garments, while 裙 is more commonly used for skirts in general.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a flowing skirt blowing in the wind, resembling a 'charming' appearance (sounds like 'cháng'). The radical 衣 (yī) represents clothing, reinforcing the connection to garments. Picture a lovely dress that makes you feel beautiful every time you wear it.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 裳 (cháng) with similar-sounding words like 常 (cháng), which means 'often.' This character is more likely to be used in formal contexts, particularly when discussing fashion or traditional attire. Common collocations include 裳袍 (cháng páo), meaning 'skirt robe.'

HSK Study Tips

Although 裳 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with other clothing-related terms like 衣 (yī, clothing) and 裤 (kù, pants). Students should focus on recognizing its usage in literary texts or discussions about fashion.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the type of lower garments like 裳 was crucial for indicating social status and identity, especially during festivals or ceremonies. The use of elegant skirts reflects the appreciation for beauty and artistry in clothing.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 裳 (cháng) with 常 (cháng), leading to misunderstandings in context. For example, saying '我常穿裳' (wǒ cháng chuān cháng) could incorrectly imply 'I often wear a skirt,' when it should be '我穿裳' (wǒ chuān cháng) to mean 'I wear a skirt.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 裳

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Etymology of 裳

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 衣 represents the meaning and 尚 represents the sound. Originally used interchangeably with 常.

Memory Hint

clothes

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 裳?

Decomposition of 裳

IDS Structure⿱尚衣
Full Character
=
Shang4
top
yi1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 裳?

Write 裳

Practice writing stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 裳

裳 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

亚历山德拉穿着那身过时的衣____,显得臃肿笨拙。

Alexandra looked plump and awkward in her cast-off clothing.

Example Sentences for 裳 (6)

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1
亚历山德拉穿着那身过时的衣裳,显得臃肿笨拙。

yà lì shān dé lā chuān zháo nà shēn guò shí de yī cháng, , xiǎn dé yōng zhǒng bèn。

Alexandra looked plump and awkward in her cast-off clothing.
2
女粉丝冲破保安的阻拦,撕扯他的衣裳。

nǚ fěn sī chōng pò bǎo ān de zǔ lán, , sī chě tā de yī。

Female fans fought their way past bodyguards and tore at his clothes.
3
衣裳口袋里饱饱装着弹药.

yī cháng kǒu dài lǐ bǎo bǎo zhuāng zháo dàn yào.

The pocket of his coat sagged heavily with ammunition.
4
脱我战时袍着我旧时裳.

tuō wǒ zhàn shí páo zháo wǒ jiù shí cháng.

She doffs her garb worn under fire and wears again female attire.
5
“ 衣裳旧了,染染差不多和新的一样.

“ “ yī cháng jiù, le , rǎn rǎn chà bù duō hé xīn de.

" Old clothes dyed are almost as good as new.
6
小嫩肉把客人的衣裳剥下来,自己穿上,逃了.

xiǎo nèn ròu bǎ kè rén de yī cháng bāo xià lái, , zì jǐ chuān, shàng ,.

Juicy Tidbit had taken his clothes and run away.

Cultural Notes for 裳

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese culture, the type of lower garments like 裳 was crucial for indicating social status and identity, especially during festivals or ceremonies. The use of elegant skirts reflects the appreciation for beauty and artistry in clothing.

Word Family of 裳

Words Containing This Character3
衣裳yīshangclothes
chángskirts
霓裳Nichang, abbr. for the Tang Dynasty song "Raiment of Rainbows and Feathers" 霓裳羽衣曲[Ní​cháng​yǔ​yī​qū] or 霓裳羽衣舞[Ní​cháng​yǔ​yī​wǔ]
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 衣裳 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 裳

裳 refers to skirts and lower garments, while 裤 specifically means pants. They represent different styles of clothing.