seifuku

English

Etymology

From Japanese 制服 (seifuku せいふく), from Middle Chinese 制服 (tʃjèj-bjuwk) (compare Mandarin zhìfú 制服), from Old Chinese (tets-bək "official or ceremonial clothing", "mourning attire"), from 制 ("cut" > "designed" > "systematized") + 服 ("clothing").

Noun

seifuku (plural seifuku)

1. A Japanese school uniform modelled on the sailor suit.

Usage notes

• Generally italicized as a foreign word.
• seifuku can be used for any kind of Japanese school uniforms, not only the sailor suit type; serafuku is more specific for the sailor suit type.
• nanchatte seifuku identifies the fake versions used in cosplay and kogal fashion.