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褲 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
褲kùpants, trousersx, 15 strokes, radical 衤
kù(ku4) T4
  1. 1pants, trousers
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

褲kù(ku4)

褲 (kù) refers to 'pants' or 'trousers' in Mandarin. It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to describe various types of lower-body garments. This character is often seen in clothing stores and fashion discussions.

Strokes15Radical衤
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, clothing such as 褲 is often associated with modesty and practicality, reflecting societal values. Traditional styles of pants can also signify regional identity.

Memory Tip

Think of 褲 as 'ku' and imagine a pair of pants that are 'cool' (sounds like 'kù'). The character has a radical that resembles a fabric flowing down, representing clothing. Visualize wearing cool pants flowing in the breeze.

Meanings of 褲

kù(ku4)
1pants, trousers
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 褲

褲Simplified
15Strokes
衤Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 褲

JasonAmy

Podcast: 褲

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 褲

Quick Contrast

裤子 (kùzi) vs 褲 (kù): Use 褲 (kù) in formal writing, while 裤子 (kùzi) is more common in everyday conversation.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone when saying 褲, as mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with other words. It is typically used in informal settings but can also be found in advertisements and retail. Common collocations include 褲子 (kùzi) for 'pants' or 'trousers'.

HSK Study Tips

Although 褲 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it is useful for learners who are at an intermediate level as it connects with clothing-related vocabulary. Focus on understanding the character in context with other clothing terms like 衣服 (yīfu) for 'clothes'.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 褲 with 裤, thinking they are different when they are not; 裤 is just the more colloquial term. Additionally, mispronouncing the tone can lead to misunderstanding, as it may sound like other unrelated words.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 褲

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Etymology of 褲

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

Simplified form of 褲. Phonosemantic compound. 衤 represents the meaning and 庫 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

clothes

Semantic (meaning)衤
+
Phonetic (sound)庫
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 褲

Simplified form of 褲. Phonosemantic compound. 衤 represents the meaning and 庫 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half衤 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half庫 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayclothes
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 褲? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 褲?

Decomposition of 褲

IDS Structure⿰衤庫
褲Full Character
=
衤yi1
left
庫ku4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 褲?

How to say pants, trousers in Chinese

“pants, trousers” in Chinese is褲kù

褲 (kù) refers to 'pants' or 'trousers' in Mandarin. It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to describe various types of lower-body garments. This character is often seen in clothing stores and fashion discussions.

When to use 褲

Be cautious with the tone when saying 褲, as mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with other words. It is typically used in informal settings but can also be found in advertisements and retail. Common collocations include 褲子 (kùzi) for 'pants' or 'trousers'.

褲 or something close to it

裤子 (kùzi) vs 褲 (kù): Use 褲 (kù) in formal writing, while 裤子 (kùzi) is more common in everyday conversation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 褲 with 裤, thinking they are different when they are not; 裤 is just the more colloquial term. Additionally, mispronouncing the tone can lead to misunderstanding, as it may sound like other unrelated words.

Write 褲

褲

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 褲

Words Containing This Character20
裤子kùzitrousers褲子
裤kùpants褲
内裤underpants內褲
牛仔裤niúzǎikùjeans牛仔褲
短裤duǎnkùshorts短褲
长裤trousers長褲
裤裆crotch of trousers褲襠
裤衩underpants褲衩
棉裤quilted cotton trousers棉褲
裤腿trouser leg褲腿
裤带belt (in trousers)褲帶
纸尿裤disposable diaper紙尿褲
裤管trouser leg褲管
衬裤underpants襯褲
灯笼裤bloomers燈籠褲
喇叭裤flared trousers喇叭褲
三角裤briefs三角褲
裙裤culottes裙褲
开裆裤open pants (for infants before toilet training)開襠褲
裤头(dialect) underpants褲頭
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 裤子 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 褲

You can say 短褲 (duǎn kù), where 短 means 'short'. This is a common term for shorts.

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