GREENTEX BLOG
Sewing and fabric glossary: Japanese, Chinese and English
Japanese patterns and fabric descriptions use their own vocabulary. Here are the common words, side by side in Japanese, Chinese and English.
Use it when buying fabric from Japan or when reading a Japanese sewing book.
Words you meet when buying fabric
| Japanese | Chinese | English | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 番手 ばんて | 紗支 | yarn count | A number for yarn thickness. The higher the number, the finer the yarn. |
| 巾 はば | 幅寬 | width | The width of the fabric. Around 110 cm and around 150 cm are common. |
| 反 たん | 卷（疋） | roll / bolt | One full roll of fabric. The length depends on the fabric. |
| 耳 みみ | 布邊 | selvedge | The two finished edges of the fabric that do not fray. |
| 別注 べっちゅう | 訂製 | custom order | Ordering fabric made with your own design or colour. |
| 用尺 ようじゃく | 用布量 | yardage | The length of fabric needed for one project. |
| 共布 ともぬの | 同布 | self fabric | The same fabric as the main body, used for pockets or binding. |
Before cutting
| Japanese | Chinese | English | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 水通し みずとおし | 下水 | pre-wash | Soaking the fabric before sewing so it shrinks first. |
| 地直し じなおし | 整布 | grain straightening | Straightening a skewed grain before cutting. |
| 地の目／布目 じのめ／ぬのめ | 布紋 | grain | The direction of the warp and weft. Both words mean the same. |
| バイアス | 斜向（45度） | bias | The 45-degree direction to the grain. It stretches, so it is used for binding. |
| わ | 對摺線 | fold | The fold of doubled fabric. The pattern sits on it and is not cut there. |
Cutting
| Japanese | Chinese | English | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 裁ち合わせ たちあわせ | 排版 | cutting layout | Placing the pattern pieces on the fabric with as little waste as possible. |
| 粗裁ち あらだち | 粗裁 | rough cut | Cutting with extra margin first, then trimming to size later. |
| 直裁ち じかだち | 直接裁布 | cutting without a pattern | Marking and cutting directly on the fabric, with no paper pattern. |
| 裁ち切り たちきり | 不留縫份 | cut on the line | Cutting on the finished line, with no seam allowance. |
| 縫い代 ぬいしろ | 縫份 | seam allowance | The part outside the finished line that goes into the seam. |
| 合い印 あいじるし | 對位記號 | notch / match mark | Marks that help two pieces line up when sewn. |
Sewing
| Japanese | Chinese | English | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 中表 なかおもて | 正面相對 | right sides together | Placing two pieces with the right sides facing in. The most common way. |
| 外表 そとおもて | 反面相對 | wrong sides together | Placing two pieces with the right sides facing out. |
| 本縫い ほんぬい | 正式車縫 | final stitching | The permanent stitching done after basting. |
| 返し縫い かえしぬい | 回針 | backstitch | Sewing back and forth at the start and end so the seam does not come undone. |
| 並縫い なみぬい | 平針縫 | running stitch | The most basic hand stitch, about 3 to 4 mm long. |
| ぐし縫い ぐしぬい | 細平針縫 | fine running stitch | A running stitch with very small stitches, used for gathering. |
| かがる | 鎖邊 | overcast | Wrapping the raw edge with thread so it does not fray. |
| 袋縫い ふくろぬい | 袋縫 | French seam | A seam that encloses the raw edges. Good for thin fabric and gauze. |
| 落としミシン おとしみしん | 落針壓線 | stitch in the ditch | Stitching in the groove of a seam so it hardly shows. |
| 奥たてまつり おくたてまつり | 藏針縫 | blind stitch | A hand stitch that does not show from the right side. |
| いせ込み いせこみ | 縮縫（吃勢） | easing | Drawing flat fabric in slightly to give it a curve, as on a sleeve cap. |
| 糸調子 いとちょうし | 線張力 | thread tension | The balance between the upper and lower threads of the machine. |
Pressing and garment parts
| Japanese | Chinese | English | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 割る わる | 燙開縫份 | press open | Opening the seam allowance to both sides and pressing it flat. |
| 空アイロン からあいろん | 乾燙 | dry press | Pressing with no steam. |
| 見返し みかえし | 貼邊 | facing | A piece sewn inside a neckline or armhole to finish the edge. |
| 身頃 みごろ | 衣身 | bodice | The body of a garment, without sleeves or collar. |
Fabric from Greentex
We carry original prints from Taiwan and fabric from Japan. For pre-washing see our double gauze article, and for selvedges our selvedge article.
FAQ
What is the difference between right sides together and wrong sides together?
Right sides together means the printed faces touch each other. Wrong sides together means they face out. Most seams are sewn right sides together.
Do I always need to pre-wash?
Cotton, linen and gauze shrink when washed. Pre-wash before cutting so the finished piece keeps its shape.
What does the yarn count number mean?
It is the thickness of the yarn. The higher the number, the finer the yarn and the thinner and smoother the fabric.
Or email info@greentex.jp.
