Common Usage & Traps
- 穿衣服 — to put on clothes
- 穿鞋 — to put on shoes
- 穿裤子 — to put on pants
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穿帽子戴帽子Hats use 戴, not 穿.
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穿眼镜戴眼镜Glasses use 戴, not 穿.
穿
Origin & Mnemonic:
To pierce a hole through, bore into, or penetrate something. To wear or put on clothes, pass through a place, or thread a needle. A tooth (牙) under a cave roof (穴) drilling a passage through.
Why do Chinese say 穿衣服 but 戴帽子?
Use 穿 for clothes you put your arms or legs through; use 戴 for things placed on your head, face, or hands.
穿 is for clothing that you thread your body into, like shirts, pants, and shoes. 戴 is for accessories that sit on top, like hats, glasses, and gloves. Mixing them sounds wrong to native speakers.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Shirt, pants | 穿衬衫 | 戴衬衫 |
| Hat, glasses | 戴帽子 | 穿帽子 |
| Shoes, socks | 穿鞋 | 戴鞋 |
Appears in Stories 1 story
Read about a work trip to Beijing where a group of colleagues takes a very large airplane. Practice weather words and actions in a simple travel story.
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我们有些人 穿的 衣服很少。
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