<p>In olden time, there might be difference between the two terms</p>

<p>「<a href="http://www.zdic.net/z/23/xs/8863.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">衣</a> 」[ <em>(2) [upper garment;jacket]
衣,所以蔽体者也。上曰衣,下曰裳。</em>]</p>

<p>and </p>

<p>「<a href="http://www.zdic.net/z/23/xs/886B.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">衫</a>」, [<em>(1) 古代指无袖头的开衩上衣 [sleeveless jacket with vent in the sides of a jacket]</em>. ]</p>

<p>In modern Chinese language, both 衣 and 衫 simply refers to 'clothes one wears on his upper body'</p>

<p>Together, 「衣衫 」is a compound word for the general term 'upper garment' much like 「刀劍 」(knife and sword) is a general term for 'weapons'</p>

<p>「服」as a noun, refers 'every article of clothing one wear on his person'. For example:  「軍服」(military uniform), 「制服」(uniform). </p>

<p>「服」is also a verb for 'to wear' </p>

<p>Together,「衣服」is a general term for 'clothes/clothing' just like 「刀斧」(knife and axe) is a general term for 'weapons'</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>「衣服」</strong> is much more common than 「衣衫」 in day-to-day words.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>A related term is 「衣裳」(upper garment + lower garment), which is also a general term for 'clothing'</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-05-12T20:20:52.573Z
2017-05-12T20:48:07.290Z
2017-05-12T20:48:07.290Z
Tang Ho
<p>I'd like to answer this question in the perspective of accent.</p>

<p>In <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Yangtze_Mandarin" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Jiang-Huai Mandarin</a>, clothes are more often to be call 衣裳. Maybe the author does not have a good knowledge of linguistics, and thought it as 衣衫.</p>

<p>In standard Northern Mandarin, the most formal way to say clothes is 衣服. Although 衣衫/衣裳 is understandable, but it sounds genteel and not appropriate in oral language.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-05-13T04:35:20.103Z
2017-05-13T04:35:20.103Z
Harry Summer
<p>@Tang Ho have an excellent and detailed explanation. </p>

<p>In a word, 衣服 is more like a daily word we would use. 衣衫 is a word we might see in literature material. It's a little bit wired to say"衣衫" without using any idiom/set-phrase. </p>

<p>For example, when it comes to describing "easily discovered, seen, or understood".
The words like "obvious", "apparent" are more likely to be used than "manifest".  </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-05-13T23:58:52.200Z
2017-05-13T23:58:52.200Z
Kevman
<p>I am reading a short story (set around 1976) by 魏微 (born in 1970 in Jiangsu, studied in Nanjing). The word 衣衫 repeatedly occurs. I searched the net and found references from 紅樓夢 and 唐詩, but the short story is among the easiest I have ever read, making but sparse use of 成語 and fancy vocabulary.</p>

<p>My dictionary defines 衣衫 as clothes. Is there a difference to 衣服？ Any regional flavour, literary flavour or era related flavour for which one may choose it?</p>

<p>I searched <a href="http://www.jukuu.com/search.php?q=%E8%A1%A3%E8%A1%AB" rel="nofollow noreferrer">jukuu</a> and it seems to be rare outside fixed expressions. 魏微 uses it quite casually:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>⋯我母亲那时很喜欢我，为我做很多漂亮的衣衫⋯</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Or:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我穿着最好看的衣衫，倚在家门口的一棵老槐树上,⋯</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-05-12T18:36:55.820Z
bkrs:衣衫 [coat or clothing] 单衣; 衣服｜ 同义: 衣服, 衣物, 衣着yīzhuó, 衣裳 小马词典 has 20 compounds all ending in 衫, e.g. 衬衫 shirt; blouse; of course 衣服 much more common
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-06-12T05:35:19.543Z
I like 魏微very much. What story r u reading? Is that 看叔叔们谈恋爱，which happened at a place called 微湖闸？
Q-Zh
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-06-12T05:38:24.317Z
衣衫is just a fancy way to say 衣服in this context. In daily Chinese, no body would say 衣衫， but in literature, 衣衫is quite often.
Q-Zh
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-06-12T11:33:52.867Z
@QingZhang 是這篇：http://m.xiabook.com/xiandai/14751/936678.html
Ludi
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-06-13T01:33:34.397Z
You might want to read 看叔叔们谈恋爱
Q-Zh
<difference>
How does 衣衫 compare to 衣服 in terms of meaning and flavour?
# How does 衣衫 compare to 衣服 in terms of meaning and flavour?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-05-12)

I am reading a short story (set around 1976) by 魏微 (born in 1970 in Jiangsu, studied in Nanjing). The word 衣衫 repeatedly occurs. I searched the net and found references from 紅樓夢 and 唐詩, but the short story is among the easiest I have ever read, making but sparse use of 成語 and fancy vocabulary.

My dictionary defines 衣衫 as clothes. Is there a difference to 衣服？ Any regional flavour, literary flavour or era related flavour for which one may choose it?

I searched [jukuu](http://www.jukuu.com/search.php?q=%E8%A1%A3%E8%A1%AB) and it seems to be rare outside fixed expressions. 魏微 uses it quite casually:

> ⋯我母亲那时很喜欢我，为我做很多漂亮的衣衫⋯

Or:

> 我穿着最好看的衣衫，倚在家门口的一棵老槐树上,⋯

**Tags:** difference

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: bkrs:衣衫 [coat or clothing] 单衣; 衣服｜ 同义: 衣服, 衣物, 衣着yīzhuó, 衣裳 小马词典 has 20 compounds all ending in 衫, e.g. 衬衫 shirt; blouse; of course 衣服 much more common  
> **username_2**: I like 魏微very much. What story r u reading? Is that 看叔叔们谈恋爱，which happened at a place called 微湖闸？  
> **username_2**: 衣衫is just a fancy way to say 衣服in this context. In daily Chinese, no body would say 衣衫， but in literature, 衣衫is quite often.  
> **username_0**: @QingZhang 是這篇：http://m.xiabook.com/xiandai/14751/936678.html  
> **username_2**: You might want to read 看叔叔们谈恋爱  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-05-12. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

In olden time, there might be difference between the two terms

「[衣](http://www.zdic.net/z/23/xs/8863.htm) 」[ *(2) [upper garment;jacket]
衣,所以蔽体者也。上曰衣,下曰裳。*]

and

「[衫](http://www.zdic.net/z/23/xs/886B.htm)」, [*(1) 古代指无袖头的开衩上衣 [sleeveless jacket with vent in the sides of a jacket]*. ]

In modern Chinese language, both 衣 and 衫 simply refers to 'clothes one wears on his upper body'

Together, 「衣衫 」is a compound word for the general term 'upper garment' much like 「刀劍 」(knife and sword) is a general term for 'weapons'

「服」as a noun, refers 'every article of clothing one wear on his person'. For example:  「軍服」(military uniform), 「制服」(uniform).

「服」is also a verb for 'to wear'

Together,「衣服」is a general term for 'clothes/clothing' just like 「刀斧」(knife and axe) is a general term for 'weapons'

> **「衣服」** is much more common than 「衣衫」 in day-to-day words.

A related term is 「衣裳」(upper garment + lower garment), which is also a general term for 'clothing'


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### Answer by username_4 on 2017-05-13. Score: 0

I'd like to answer this question in the perspective of accent.

In [Jiang-Huai Mandarin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Yangtze_Mandarin), clothes are more often to be call 衣裳. Maybe the author does not have a good knowledge of linguistics, and thought it as 衣衫.

In standard Northern Mandarin, the most formal way to say clothes is 衣服. Although 衣衫/衣裳 is understandable, but it sounds genteel and not appropriate in oral language.


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### Answer by username_5 on 2017-05-13. Score: 0

@username_3 have an excellent and detailed explanation.

In a word, 衣服 is more like a daily word we would use. 衣衫 is a word we might see in literature material. It's a little bit wired to say"衣衫" without using any idiom/set-phrase.

For example, when it comes to describing "easily discovered, seen, or understood".
The words like "obvious", "apparent" are more likely to be used than "manifest".


---

