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That is 100% not how mens sizes work.
It's 50% of how men's sizes work
I know this is anecdotal, but I've never had pants size be the same as my waist size, even when I was in good shape.
Then you must have the weirdest waist ever, for a man.
I am able to go out into any store with my current waist size, and get a good-fitting pair virtually every time without even trying it on. Now, I may not like certain styles - I prefer my belt to be at my bellybutton, not halfway down my hips such that any erection can only ever point down - but men’s sizes are remarkably consistent.
I thought that too, until I actually measured my waist because I needed to buy some hunting pants online. I've worn the same size Levi's since I was 15 years old, and I figured that was my actual waist size. It's not. Measure yourself and compare it to the waist size of your jeans. They don't match up.
Are you measuring your waist or your hips? Counterintuitively the waist measurement is not where your trousers actually sit.
Try and find a 38" waist with a 36" inseam. Even in Tall and Big man stores they assume you have at least a 44" waist.
Try and find a 38" waist with a 36" inseam.
Then that is an availability of options issue, and not any kind of issue where manufactures label a pair of pants to be a 38 when it is really a completely different size.
I bought several pairs of shorts recently from the same brand, all the same waist size, and some definitely fit better than others. There are always manufacturing variances.