cheongsam

English

T-ara wearing red cheongsams performing onstage in Hong Kong

Etymology

From Cantonese 長衫／长衫 (coeng4 saam1, “long robe”).

Noun

cheongsam (plural cheongsams)

1. A tight-fitting formal woman's dress, usually brightly coloured, patterned and/or embroidered, with a split at the thigh.

   Synonym: qipao

2. (Hong Kong) A plain coloured, tight-fitting dress with a short split at the thigh, worn as a school uniform by schoolgirls.
   • 2010, Anthony Sattin, Hong Kong & Macau, →ISBN, page 160:

     [C]otton cheongsams are still the uniform at several colleges and secondary schools.

3. A long formal dress-like garment or robe worn by Asian men, in English usually rendered as changshan.

Translations

qipao — see qipao

Further reading

• cheongsam on Wikipedia.Wikipedia