How to say "clothing" in Japanese

• 衣装いしょうJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounCovers clothing in the sense of a costume, outfit, or stage garment — what someone wears for a performance, play, or special occasion, rather than everyday wear.
  ぬれた衣装いしょうが彼女かのじょの体からだにくっついていた。↗

  Wet clothes clung to her body.
• 服ふくJLPT N5approx.Common
  noun, noun (suffix)The everyday word for clothes or clothing, especially Western-style dress. Use this when talking about what you or someone else normally wears, such as buying or putting on clothes.
  彼かれは濡ぬれた服ふくを火ひにあぶってかわかした。↗

  He dried his wet clothes by the fire.
• ウェアCommon
  noun, noun (suffix)A loanword meaning wear or clothing; it appears mainly in set names for types or categories of apparel, such as in shop or product contexts, and is not the everyday word for clothes.
  スキーシーズンも終おわりに近ちかづいて、ウエアとかのバーゲンやっているけど、余り物あまりものしかなくて丁度ちょうどいいサイズのモノがない。↗

  Since ski season is almost over, the ski wear that's on sale is all leftovers, so there's nothing that's just my size.
• 衣類いるいJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounRefers to clothes or garments viewed collectively as items — the neutral word for clothing as a class of things, as in washing, storing, or sorting garments.
  男性だんせい用ようの衣類いるいはゆったりしている。↗

  Men's clothing is loose fitting.
• 身なりみなりJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounMeans dress, attire, or getup in the sense of how a person is dressed or their overall appearance; it concerns whether someone looks neat or presentable, not clothing as objects.
  こんな身みなりで外出がいしゅつするのは気きが引ひける。↗

  I'm ashamed to go out dressed like this.

Use 服 for everyday clothes and 衣類 for garments as a category; 衣装 suggests costumes or outfits, 「ウェア」 appears in compound or product names, and 「身なり」 refers to how someone is dressed.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 衣装いしょうclothing
• 服ふくclothes (esp. Western clothes)
• ウェアwear
• 衣類いるいclothes
• 身なりみなりdress
• 衣料いりょうclothing
• 被服ひふくclothing
• 衣料品いりょうひんclothing
• 服装ふくそうattire
• 衣きぬclothing
• 装そうclothing
• クロージングclothing
• 装用そうようclothing
• お召し物おめしものclothing
• 召し物めしものclothing
• なりふりone's appearance
• 形姿なりすがたappearance
• 着用品ちゃくようひんpersonal effects
• お召しおめしsummoning
• 着物きものclothing