衣 is a Chinese character with 6 strokes, radical 衣 (clothes), HSK 1 on the new exam.
Etymology
Oracle-bone origin
The oracle-bone form of 衣 depicts a robe seen from the front: a collar at the top, two overlapping lapels crossing over the chest, and sleeves hanging to the sides. It specifically referred to upper-body clothing, in contrast to 裳 (cháng) for the lower garment.
Form evolution
Bronze forms keep the clear collar-and-lapel shape. Seal script stylises the collar into a pointed top stroke and regularises the crossed lapels into two symmetrical strokes. Clerical script flattens the whole figure into the six-stroke 衣 we use today. When 衣 appears on the left of a compound it compresses into the radical 衤, which retains the collar but loses the lapel overlap.
How the meaning evolved
The original concrete meaning 'upper garment' broadened to 'clothing' in general, and extended metaphorically to coverings of other kinds: 糖衣 (sugar coating), 外衣 (outer layer). As a verb read yì it meant 'to wear, to clothe,' a usage mostly confined to classical texts now.
Cultural note
Almost every character for a type of clothing uses the 衤 radical: 裤, 袜, 裙, 衫, 袖. Learners often confuse 衤 (clothing) with 礻 (ritual, from 示) because the printed forms differ by only one stroke; the handwriting pedigree is completely separate.
Mnemonic
Fabric draped over a hanger — clothing
Basic info
| Stroke count | 6 strokes |
| Radical | 衣 (#145: clothes) |
| New HSK exam | Recognise at HSK 1 |
| Frequency | #1449 most common |
Example sentences
这件衣服太贵了。
Zhè jiàn yīfu tài guì le.
This piece of clothing is too expensive.
From 衣服 (HSK 1)
Words containing 衣
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | HSK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 衣服 | yīfu | cloth | HSK 1 |
Related characters
On the new HSK 1 exam
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Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.