Translation guide
The English word 'skirt' refers to a garment worn from the waist down. In Japanese, the most common equivalent is スカート, a loanword from English. This guide covers how to talk about skirts in Japanese, including types, related verbs, and cultural notes.
Referring to a skirt as a clothing item.
The standard Japanese word for 'skirt', borrowed from English. Used for most modern skirts.
彼女は新しいスカートを買った。
She bought a new skirt.
このスカートは短すぎますか？
Is this skirt too short?
A wrap skirt. Often used for casual or beachwear.
夏には巻きスカートが涼しい。
Wrap skirts are cool in summer.
A tight skirt, pencil skirt. Common in office wear.
面接にはタイトスカートを履いていった。
I wore a pencil skirt to the interview.
A flared skirt. Popular for a feminine look.
フレアスカートが流行っている。
Flared skirts are in fashion.
Referring to traditional Japanese clothing that resembles a skirt.
Hakama are wide-legged trousers or a divided skirt worn over kimono. Often seen in martial arts or formal ceremonies.
卒業式では多くの女子学生が袴を着る。
Many female students wear hakama at graduation ceremonies.
A traditional wrap-around skirt, often worn as an undergarment or by laborers in the past. Rarely used today.
Expressing the action of putting on or wearing a skirt.
The verb 履く (はく) is used for putting on clothing on the lower body, including skirts, pants, and shoes.
今日はスカートを履いています。
I'm wearing a skirt today.
スカートを履いて出かけた。
I put on a skirt and went out.
The kanji 穿く is an alternative for 履く, but 履く is more common for skirts.
スカートを穿くのは久しぶりだ。
It's been a while since I wore a skirt.
Describing the length or style of a skirt.
Miniskirt. Very common in casual fashion.
彼女はミニスカートが好きだ。
She likes miniskirts.
Knee-length skirt. Common in office or school uniforms.
制服は膝丈スカートです。
The uniform is a knee-length skirt.
Referring to a skirt that is part of a school or work uniform.
Literally 'uniform skirt'. Used to specify the skirt part of a uniform.
制服のスカートを短くするのは校則違反だ。
Shortening the uniform skirt is against school rules.
The Japanese word スカート sounds similar to the English 'skirt', but be careful not to confuse it with シャツ (shirt). They are distinct words.
スカートとシャツを間違えないでください。
Please don't mix up skirt and shirt.
Use 履く (はく) for putting on a skirt, as it is a lower-body garment. For upper-body clothing like shirts, use 着る (きる).
スカートを履く、シャツを着る
Wear a skirt, wear a shirt
昔の女性は腰巻を着用していた。
Women in the past wore koshimaki.
Long skirt, maxi skirt.
ロングスカートは上品に見える。
Long skirts look elegant.