pantsu

Pantsu is the Japanese loanword パンツ (pantsu), used in everyday language to refer to undergarments, especially underwear. In standard Japanese, the general term for underwear is 下着 (shitagi), while outer pants or trousers are typically called ズボン (zubon). The word pantsu has become the common casual term for undergarments and is widely heard in media, fashion, and daily conversation. For more specific items, speakers use other terms such as ボクサーパンツ (boxer shorts) for men's longer-style underwear, ブリーフ ( briefs), and ショーツ or パンティ (panty) for women's underwear.

The usage of pantsu can vary by context. In many situations, it refers to underwear in general, but the exact meaning can depend on phrasing, audience, and regional variation. In some historical or dialect contexts, the word might appear alongside terms for outer clothing, but contemporary everyday use predominantly denotes undergarments.

In popular culture, パンツ appears frequently in anime, manga, and fan discourse. It is associated with fanservice tropes, including phrases and imagery centered on underwear. While such usage is common in fiction and online communities, it is not representative of formal or professional language norms.

Etymology and adoption: pantsu is a katakana rendering of the English word pants, adapted during Japan’s modernization and Western fashion influence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It remains a staple term for underwear in modern Japanese.