One of the biggest surprises for Japanese learners is that there is no single verb for “to wear.”
Instead, Japanese uses different verbs depending on where the item is worn and how it is put on.

Just like there are several ways to say “to wear,” there are also multiple verbs for “to take off.”

This guide explains everything clearly and naturally, with English translations for each Japanese word.

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👚 1. 着きる — to wear (upper body clothes)

Used for clothing you put your arms through.

Examples:

• シャツを着きる — to wear a shirt
• Tシャツを着きる — to wear a T-shirt
• ワンピースを着きる — to wear a dress

To take off:

• 脱ぬぐ — to take off
  • Example: シャツを脱ぬぐ — to take off a shirt

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👖 2. はく — to wear (shoes, socks, pants/skirt from waist down)

Note: Use 履はく for shoes, socks, and items that go on the lower body.
For pants and skirts, you can also see 穿はく, which is often used for pants/skirts in general.

Examples:

• ズボンを穿はく — to wear pants
• スカートを穿はく — to wear a skirt
• くつを履はく — to wear shoes
• くつ下を履はく — to wear socks

To take off:

• 脱ぬぐ — to take off
  • Example: くつを脱ぬぐ — to take off shoes

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🎩 3. かぶる — to wear (on the head)

Used for items placed on top of the head.

Examples:

• ぼうしをかぶる — to wear a hat
• キャップをかぶる — to wear a cap

To take off:

• 取とる — to take off
  • Example: ぼうしを取とる — to take off a hat

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👓 4. かける — to wear by “hanging” on the face

Used for items that hook or hang on the face.

Examples:

• メガネをかける — to wear glasses
• サングラスをかける — to wear sunglasses

To take off:

• 外はずす — to take off / remove (can be used interchangeably with 取とる in some cases)
  • Example: メガネを外はずす — to take off glasses

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🧤 5. はめる — to wear (insert onto hands/fingers)

Used when inserting your hands or fingers into something.

Examples:

• 手てぶくろをはめる — to wear gloves
• 指輪ゆびわをはめる — to wear a ring

To take off:

• 外はずす — to take off / remove (can be used interchangeably with 取とる in some cases)
  • Example: 指輪ゆびわを外はずす — to take off a ring

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💎 6. つける — to attach / wear accessories

Used for items you “attach” to your body.

Examples:

• イヤリングをつける — to wear earrings
• ネックレスをつける — to wear a necklace
• マスクをつける — to wear a mask

To take off:

• 外はずす — to take off / remove (can be used interchangeably with 取とる in some cases)
  • Example: ネックレスを外はずす — to take off a necklace

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⌚ 7. する — to wear accessories (general)

Used for accessories that aren’t clothing.

Examples:

• ネクタイをする — to wear a tie
• ベルトをする — to wear a belt
• 時計とけいをする — to wear a watch

To take off:

• 外はずす — to take off / remove (can be used interchangeably with 取とる in some cases)
  • Example: ネクタイを外はずす — to take off a tie

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✨ Final Tip

If you ever forget which verb to use, think about how the item goes onto your body — Japanese verbs are based on movement and the body part involved.

Learning these verbs not only improves your vocabulary but also makes your Japanese sound natural and fluent. 🎌😊

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