背心 bèixīn sleeveless garment
sleeveless garment (vest, waistcoat, singlet, tank top etc)
How to remember 背心: 背 back + 心 heart = sleeveless garment.
Characters
How it is used
- A sleeveless top - vest, tank top, singlet - 穿了件背心 (chuān le jiàn bèixīn) wearing a tank top.
- Literally 'back-heart', the front-and-back panel with no sleeves; measure word 件 (jiàn).
- Note British 'waistcoat' and US 'undershirt/tank' all map here; a padded 棉背心 (mián bèixīn) is a body-warmer.