Translation guide
A formal set of matching jacket and trousers (or skirt) worn in professional settings. In Japanese, the most common term is スーツ, a loanword from English. There are also native terms like 背広 (sebiro) for men's suits and スーツ (sūtsu) for both men's and women's. The concept is straightforward, but usage can vary by context and gender.
The most common, all-purpose word for a business suit, used for both men's and women's attire.
The standard loanword for 'suit,' used for both men's and women's business attire. It's the most common and neutral term.
I'll wear a suit to tomorrow's meeting.
I bought a new suit.
A traditional Japanese word for a men's business suit. It's still commonly used, especially by older generations or in more traditional contexts. Not used for women's suits.
My father wears a suit to work every day.
Literally 'business suit.' Used to emphasize the professional context, often in retail or fashion contexts.
This store specializes in business suits.
When you need to specify a suit for men, as opposed to women's suits or unisex terms.
When referring to a suit designed for women, often with a skirt or pants.
The specific dark, conservative suit worn by job seekers in Japan, a cultural staple.
The standard term for the plain, dark suit (usually navy or black) worn for job interviews and recruiting events. It's a very specific cultural item.
I bought a recruiting suit for job hunting.
Short for 就職活動スーツ, meaning 'job-hunting suit.' Synonymous with リクルートスーツ.
Black is the standard color for job-hunting suits.
スーツ is the most common and can be used for both men and women. 背広 is specifically a men's suit and sounds a bit old-fashioned or traditional. Young people rarely use 背広 in casual conversation, but it's still understood and used in certain contexts like tailoring.
It's hard to wear a suit well.
Please tailor this suit.
The English word 'suit' can also mean a legal case. In Japanese, that is 訴訟 (そしょう) or 裁判 (さいばん), not スーツ. Be careful not to use スーツ for legal contexts.
紳士服のコーナーでスーツを探しています。
I'm looking for a suit in the men's clothing section.
婦人服売り場でスーツを購入しました。
I purchased a suit at the women's clothing department.