How to say "uniform" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 制服せいふくnounThe word for a uniform as an actual garment — what pupils, staff or crew wear. Use this when 'uniform' means the clothing itself, as with school or company uniforms.
- nounThe loanword for a uniform as a garment, heard especially for sports team uniforms. In many clothing contexts it overlaps with 制服, so either word can fit for what players or workers wear.
- 一律いちりつno-adjective, na-adjective, adverbNot clothing at all: it describes rules, fees or treatment applied the same way to everyone — 'uniform' in the across-the-board sense, as in a uniform rate charged to all.
- 一様いちようna-adjective, no-adjectiveDescribes a state or appearance that is the same throughout — even, unvarying, showing no differences. Often used in the negative, 一様ではない, to say things are not uniform but varied.
- 均等きんとうna-adjective, no-adjectiveUniformity as evenness of distribution or balance: portions, shares or treatment spread equally so that no part gets more than another. 'Even' or 'equal' is often the closer English.
For a uniform you can see and wear, choose 制服 or 「ユニフォーム」; for abstract senses pick by nuance — across-the-board application (一律), an unvarying state (一様), or even distribution (均等).
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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