Ancient forms of 衣 are commonly read as the outline of an upper garment: a crossed collar at the center, sleeves spreading to either side, and the lower panels hanging down. Oracle-bone inscriptions used the graph in names and ritual contexts, while bronze texts clearly use it for clothing. Its folded robe shape still survives in the modern character.
A piece of culture
The four basics of daily life The compact phrase 衣食住行 (yī shí zhù xíng) lists clothing, food, housing and transport — the practical basics of daily life. The order puts 衣 beside 食, the other character in this pair: what people wear and what they eat come first when Chinese speakers sum up everyday needs.
Use it in a real word
衣服
yīfu · ji1 fuk6
clothes — the common Mandarin word; Cantonese often says 衫