Translation guide
The English phrase "put on" covers several distinct actions in Japanese, each with its own verb. The correct choice depends on what is being put on: clothing (upper/lower body, accessories), items on a surface, or starting an appliance. Japanese also distinguishes between putting on for oneself and putting on someone else.
To dress oneself in clothes, including upper body, lower body, and full-body items.
Used for upper-body clothing (shirts, jackets, coats) and full-body items (dresses). This is the most common verb for putting on clothes.
I put on a shirt every morning.
I put on a coat because it was cold.
Used for lower-body clothing (pants, skirts, shorts) and footwear (shoes, socks).
Used for putting on headwear (hats, caps, helmets).
Formal term for wearing or putting on clothing, often used in written instructions or official contexts.
Please put on protective clothing.
To put on items like glasses, jewelry, watches, or gloves.
Used for glasses and sunglasses.
To put clothing or accessories on another person, such as a child.
Causative form of 着る, used when dressing someone else in upper-body or full-body clothing.
To place an object onto a surface or into a container.
General verb for putting something on a surface. Often used with location particles に or の上に.
To start the operation of an electrical device, light, or machine.
General verb for turning on lights, TVs, air conditioners, etc. Note: same pronunciation as the accessory verb but different kanji (点ける) when written.
To gain body weight.
Neutral phrase meaning 'body weight increases'. Often used with 最近 (lately) or ちょっと (a little).
To organize or present a show, play, or exhibition.
Used for staging a play, concert, or performance.
To behave in an affected or pretentious manner.
To put on airs, act affectedly. Often used in negative form 気取らない for 'unpretentious'.
These three verbs are not interchangeable. 着る is for upper body and full-body clothes, 履く is for lower body and footwear, and 被る is for headwear. Using the wrong verb sounds unnatural.
put on pants (incorrect)
English 'put on' can be used for glasses, hats, jewelry, but Japanese requires specific verbs. Using 着る for a hat or glasses is a common learner mistake.
When putting on your own clothes, use transitive verbs (着る, 履く). When describing the state of wearing, use the intransitive form with ている (着ている, 履いている).
I put on jeans and went out.
I forgot to put on socks.
I put on a hat to block the sun.
I put on my glasses and read a book.
Used for accessories worn on the body (earrings, necklaces, watches, gloves). Also used for applying makeup or perfume.
I put on earrings.
I put on gloves and went outside.
Used for rings and sometimes gloves that fit tightly.
I put on a ring.
Used for scarves, ties, or belts that are wrapped around.
I put on a scarf.
I put clothes on my child.
Causative form of 履く, used when putting lower-body clothing or footwear on someone else.
I put shoes on my daughter.
Causative form of 被る, used when putting headwear on someone else.
I put a hat on the baby.
本を机の上に置いた。
I put the book on the desk.
To place something on top of something else, often with care or for a purpose (e.g., on a plate, on a vehicle).
I put the food on a plate.
To put something into a container or enclosed space.
I put sugar in my coffee.
Please put on the light.
I fell asleep with the TV on.
Literally 'put in the switch', used for flipping a switch to turn something on.
I put on the room switch.
I've put on weight recently.
Verb meaning 'to get fat'. More direct and can be negative, so use with care.
I put on weight from eating too much.
We put on a play at school.
Used for holding events, exhibitions, or conferences.
They put on an art exhibition.
He's always putting on airs.
To show off or try to look better than one is.
He put on a show and bought an expensive car.