How to say "costume" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 衣装いしょうnounCovers a costume in the sense of a set of clothes worn for a role or occasion, such as stage dress or an outfit for a party; also used for outfits more generally.
- nounThe loanword for a dress-up costume, the kind worn at Halloween or masquerade events, typically representing a character or figure rather than everyday clothing.
- 仮装かそうnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbRefers to fancy dress or disguise — the act of dressing up as something else — rather than to the garment itself, so it is not the word for a costume as clothing.
- 装束しょうぞくnounAttire in a formal, traditional or ceremonial style, such as historical or period costume; it suggests elaborate, old-fashioned dress rather than everyday costume.
- 服ふくnoun, noun (suffix)The everyday word for clothes; it appears under 'costume' only in the loose sense of what someone is wearing, and is not how you say a fancy-dress or stage costume.
Use 衣装 for a costume worn for a role or occasion, 「コスチューム」 for dress-up costumes such as Halloween, 仮装 for the disguise or act of dressing up, 装束 for formal or traditional attire, and 服 only for ordinary clothes.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
