1.
robe, garment, vestment
A traditional garment or robe, particularly the robes worn by Buddhist monks and priests. A literary or formal word for clothing.
僧侶が衣をまとう。
The monk puts on his robes.
衣替えの季節になった。
It's the season for changing to seasonal clothing.
白い衣に身を包んだ神官が現れた。
A Shinto priest appeared, wrapped in white robes.
2.
batter, coating, breading
The outer coating applied to food before frying, such as the batter on tempura or the breading on tonkatsu.
天ぷらの衣をつける。
To apply tempura batter.
衣はサクサクに揚げるのがコツだ。
The trick is to fry the batter until it's crispy.
衣を薄くつけると軽い食感になる。
Applying a thin coating gives a lighter texture.
USAGE:
Sense 1 (衣 as garment) is literary and formal, mainly used for religious vestments or in classical/poetic contexts. Everyday clothing is 服. The compound 衣替え refers to the seasonal change of wardrobe, traditionally done on June 1 and October 1.
Sense 2 (衣 as batter) is the more common modern usage, especially in cooking contexts. Learners are most likely to encounter this meaning in recipes and food descriptions.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 衣をつける: to apply batter/coating
- 衣替え: seasonal wardrobe change
- サクサクの衣: crispy batter
- 僧の衣: monk's robes