肌着（はだぎ、hadagi）
- underwear

The Japanese word 肌着 (はだぎ, *hadagi*) refers to underwear or undergarments worn directly against the skin. These garments are designed to absorb sweat, provide warmth, or simply act as a barrier between the skin and outer clothing. They are similar to what might be called "long underwear" or "undershirts" and "underwear" in English, depending on the specific item. The term encompasses a range of items, from undershirts and camisoles to long johns and other types of base layers. The core concept is something worn directly next to the 肌着.

⚫︎肌着を着替える。 Translation: To change one's underwear. ⚫︎冬は暖かい《肌着が欠かせない。》 Translation: Warm underwear is essential in winter. ⚫︎新しい《肌着を買いました。》 Translation: I bought new underwear.

This word is used in everyday conversation to describe the garments worn beneath outer clothing. It is a common term and can be used in most situations when discussing underwear or undergarments. You'd use it to talk about buying, wearing, washing, or the type of underwear you're using. You can also specify the type of 肌着, such as 半袖の肌着 (hansode no *hadagi* - short-sleeved underwear) or 長袖の肌着 (naga-sode no *hadagi* - long-sleeved underwear).

肌着 is typically written in kanji as 肌着, which combines the kanji for "skin" 肌 (はだ, *hada*) and "clothing" 着 (ぎ, *gi*). The reading is usually written in hiragana as はだぎ, to help show the pronunciation. There are no other common ways to write this word. The okurigana is standard.

⚫︎ 下着 (したぎ, *shitagi*) - Underwear (a more general term) ⚫︎ インナー (*innaa*) - Innerwear (loanword, often refers to more fashionable or modern underwear) ⚫︎ 下着類 (したぎるい, *shitagi-rui*) - Undergarments (plural)

There are no direct antonyms, as 肌着 describes a type of clothing. However, you could consider outer clothing to be the opposite (e.g., shirts, pants, etc.).

今日は新しい肌着を着て気分がいい。 ・Translation: I feel good today wearing new underwear. ・Explanation: This sentence expresses a positive feeling associated with wearing clean, fresh underwear.

寒くなってきたので、保温性の高い肌着を着よう。 ・Translation: Since it's getting cold, I'll wear underwear with high heat retention. ・Explanation: This sentence explains the reason for choosing a particular type of underwear (high-heat retention) due to the cold weather.

The word 肌着 is a compound word. The kanji 肌 (はだ, *hada*) means "skin," and 着 (ぎ, *gi*) means "clothing." The etymology reflects the fundamental purpose of this kind of garment, which is to be in direct contact with the skin.