Common Types of Hanfu Sleeves

1. Pipa Sleeve (琵琶袖 ; pí pá xiù)

Pipa sleeves are a type of sleeve often seen in Ming dynasty Hanfu.

Named the pipa sleeve because the arm has a wide part, a small cuff, and a narrow armpit, shaped like a pipa.

2. Large Sleeve (大袖 ; dà xiù)

The sleeves are (very) large, usually used in formal clothes.

3. Chuihu Sleeve (垂胡袖 ; chuí hú xiù)

Chuihu sleeves are similar to large sleeves, but chuihu sleeves have narrower cuffs.

This sleeve style is characteristic of Han dynasty clothing.

The chuihu sleeves collar is often seen in Quju (曲裾).

4. Narrow Sleeve (窄袖 ; zhǎi xiù) / Arrow Sleeve (箭袖 ; jiàn xiù)

These sleeves come from northern ethnic costumes.

The arrow sleeve is comfortable to ride, shoot and work.

In addition, because the cuffs are narrow, they can keep warm.

Therefore, after thousands of years, from military uniforms, official uniforms to common people’s clothes, the arrow sleeve became widespread and became a kind of Hanfu sleeve system.

5. Straight Sleeve (直袖 ; zhí xiù)

The straight sleeve can be divided into a narrow straight type and a wide straight type.

6. Half Sleeve (半袖 ; bàn xiù) / Short Sleeve (短袖 ; duǎn xiù)

An example of a Hanfu with half sleeves is Banbi (半臂).