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Chinese age calculator
Put in your birthday to find your traditional Chinese age, 虚岁, and how to say it in Chinese.
Your Chinese age
Born 20 August 1995
32
Your Chinese age
- Say it
- 我今年三十二岁
- By birthdays
- 31, 周岁 , so your Chinese age is 1 more
- Goes up
- to 33 at Chinese New Year, 7 February 2027
- Your animal
- Pig 猪
Two ways to count
虚岁 is the traditional count: one at birth, and a year older at every Chinese New Year. 周岁 counts whole years from your birthday, as most of the world does. Some families count the new year from 立春 , the start of spring around 4 February, instead of New Year’s Day.
Saying your age
我今年二十五岁 : “I’m 25 this year”. Two years old is 两岁 , not 二岁. To ask a friend, 你多大？ ; a child, 你几岁？ ; someone older, 您多大年纪？
Questions
What is Chinese age (虚岁)?
Chinese age, 虚岁 (xū suì), is the traditional way of counting age in China. A baby is one at birth, and everyone gets a year older together at Chinese New Year, not on their birthday. It is still used by older people, in the countryside and for customs like big birthdays and weddings; official papers use the age by birthdays, 周岁 (zhōu suì).
Why is my Chinese age one or two years more?
You start at one instead of zero, so Chinese age is at least one more. Between Chinese New Year and your birthday it is two more, because the New Year has added a year and your birthday hasn’t taken it back yet.
How do I work out my Chinese age?
Take the Chinese year now, subtract the Chinese year you were born in, and add one. A Chinese year starts at Chinese New Year, between 21 January and 20 February, so someone born in January or early February belongs to the year before.
How do you say your age in Chinese?
我今年二十五岁 (wǒ jīnnián èrshíwǔ suì) is “I am 25 this year”. To ask, say 你多大？ (nǐ duō dà?) to someone your age, 你几岁？ (nǐ jǐ suì?) to a child, and 您多大年纪？ (nín duō dà niánjì?) to someone older.