裙子 (qún zi) is the standard, colloquial Mandarin word for 'skirt' — a garment worn on the lower body, typically by women and girls. The first character 裙 (qún) carries the core meaning of 'skirt' or 'dress', while the second character 子 (zi) is a common noun suffix that adds a neutral, concrete, and slightly informal or diminutive nuance — much like English '-let' or '-ette', though here it simply makes the word feel more natural in everyday speech. Unlike formal or literary terms (e.g., 裙装), 裙子 is universally used in conversation, shopping, fashion descriptions, and daily life.

This word is gender-neutral in grammar (no marking for gender or number), but culturally associated with feminine clothing in most contexts. It’s countable: you say 一条裙子 (yī tiáo qúnzi) for 'one skirt', using the measure word 条 (tiáo) for long, flexible objects. While historically linked to traditional Hanfu elements, today 裙子 refers to all modern skirt styles — from mini to maxi, pleated to A-line — and appears frequently in weather discussions, shopping dialogues, and wardrobe-related expressions.