👗 穿 chuān vs 戴 dài – What’s the Difference?

Both 穿 chuān and 戴 dài mean “to wear” — but in Chinese, they’re used for different kinds of things! 

Let’s break it down so you’ll never confuse them again! 🎯

🔍  Breakdown

🟡 穿 (chuān) – to wear (on the body)

• Used for clothes, pants, shoes, socks — things you put on your body

• Think: things you “step into” or “wrap yourself in”

📌 Common with:

衣服 yīfu (clothes), 裤子 kùzi (pants), 鞋 xié (shoes), 袜子 wàzi (socks), 裙子 qúnzi (skirts), etc.

🟢 戴 (dài) – to wear (accessories)

• Used for items you wear on your head, face, hands, or body as accessories

• Think: things you “put on” like decoration or function

📌 Common with:

眼镜 yǎnjìng (glasses), 手表 shǒubiǎo (watch), 帽子 màozi (hat), 项链 xiàngliàn (necklace), 戒指 jièzhi (ring), 围巾 wéijīn (scarf), etc.

💬  Easy Examples

🟡 穿 (chuān) – to wear (on the body)

Example 1:

我今天穿了一件新衣服。

(Wǒ jīntiān chuān le yí jiàn xīn yīfu.)

👉 I wore a new piece of clothing today.

Example 2:

她穿着一条红裙子。

(Tā chuānzhe yì tiáo hóng qúnzi.)

👉 She’s wearing a red skirt.

🟢 戴 (dài) – to wear (accessories)

Example 1:

你戴眼镜吗？

(Nǐ dài yǎnjìng ma?)

👉 Do you wear glasses?

Example 2:

他戴了一顶帽子。

(Tā dài le yì dǐng màozi.)

👉 He wore a hat.

⚠️ Common Mistakes (Watch Out!)

❌ 我穿眼镜。

Wǒ chuān yǎnjìng. (Wrong ❌)

✅ 我戴眼镜。

Wǒ dài yǎnjìng. (Correct ✔️)

👉🏼 I wear glasses.

📝 Glasses = accessory → use 戴 dài, not 穿 chuān

❌ 她戴了白裙子。

Tā dài le bái qúnzi. (Wrong ❌)

✅ 她穿了白裙子。

Tā chuān le bái qúnzi. (Correct ✔️)

👉🏼 She wore a white skirt.

📝 Skirt = clothing → use 穿 chuān

🎯  Try It Yourself!

Choose the correct word: 穿 (chuān) or 戴 (dài)

1. 我今天_______了一件毛衣。

(Wǒ jīntiān ______ le yí jiàn máoyī.)

👉 I wore a sweater today.

✅ Correct answer: 穿 (chuān)

2. 奶奶_______了一条漂亮的项链。

(Nǎinai ______ le yì tiáo piàoliang de xiàngliàn.)

👉 Grandma wore a beautiful necklace.

✅ Correct answer: 戴 (dài)

3. 他_______了一双新鞋子。

(Tā ______ le yì shuāng xīn xiézi.)

👉 He wore a new pair of shoes.

✅ Correct answer: 穿 (chuān)

4. 你_______手表吗？

(Nǐ ______ shǒubiǎo ma?)

👉 Do you wear a watch?

✅ Correct answer: 戴 (dài)

🚀 Final Tip

📌 Use 穿 chuān for clothes, pants, shoes — things that wrap around your body.

📌 Use 戴 dài for accessories — like glasses, hats, jewelry, scarves.

✍️ Try writing two sentences:

– One with 穿 chuān

– One with 戴 dài

Get this right, and your Chinese will instantly sound more natural. 👏

Just one word can flip your meaning — don’t miss the rest of the series! 👉 check them out here! 😄📘