clothing; garments; apparel
Formal or technical term for clothing, often used in official, military, or institutional contexts. Less common in everyday conversation than 衣服 or 服.
New recruits were issued their clothing.
Clothing expenses account for a large portion of the household budget.
軍の被服支給が遅れている。
The military's clothing supply is delayed.
Please wear the designated clothing while working.
服 is the most common, casual word for clothes, whereas 被服 sounds stiff and bureaucratic and appears mainly in official documents.
衣類 is a neutral, slightly formal collective term for clothing used in retail or laundry contexts, while 被服 carries a more official or institutional tone.
clothing expenses; clothing allowance
Compound of 被 (ひ, 'to cover' or 'to put on') and 服 (ふく, 'clothing'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the kanji combination conventionally conveys the meaning of 'clothing' or 'garments'.