岁
suì
The Chinese phrase for "years old" is 岁 (suì).
岁 is used to state the age of a person or a thing in years. For example, to say "10 years old", you would say 10岁.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Chinese, 岁 acts as a measure word that follows a number directly. You do not need an extra word for "years" between the number and the age. When stating your age, there is no need to use the possessive particle 的 between the number and 岁. It is also common to add the particle 了 after 岁 to indicate that a person has reached a certain age, similar to saying they are "now" a certain age.
How do you pronounce it?
suì
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly try to use the word 年 (nián) for "years" when stating age. You should use 岁 instead.
Did you know?
- In traditional Chinese culture, children often use the term 虚岁 (xūsuì), or 'nominal age', which counts a child as one year old the moment they are born.
- When speaking to elders or in very formal settings, you might encounter the word 贵庚 to ask someone's age. Using 岁 in a direct question can sometimes be seen as too blunt for high-status individuals.
- In some historical contexts, the number of 'years' a person has lived was sometimes expressed using the term 春秋 (chūnqiū), which literally means 'spring and autumn'.
Examples in context
- 你十岁了吗？Are you ten years old?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is ten years old using 岁.Tatoeba #516981 by GlossaMatik, translation #69226 by CN
- 我24岁了。I'm 24 years old.This sentence is useful for stating that one is 24 years old using 岁.Tatoeba #1424245 by sadhen, translation #688706 by pandark
- 她十七岁了。She's seventeen years old.This sentence is useful for stating that she is seventeen years old using 岁.Tatoeba #3485499 by GlossaMatik, translation #2765316 by CK
- 我今年30岁了。I am 30 years old this year.
- 他已经18岁了。He is already 18 years old.
- 我15岁。I am 15 years old.
- 她今年20岁。She is 20 years old this year.
- 54 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their children's ages.
- 雨婷 Yuting你的女儿几岁了？Nǐ de nǚ'ér jǐ suì le?How many years old is your daughter?
- 志强 Zhiqiang她今年五岁了。Tā jīnnián wǔ suì le.She is five years old this year.
- 雨婷 Yuting她看起来很大了。Tā kàn qǐlái hěn dà le.She looks quite grown up.
- 志强 Zhiqiang是啊，她已经五岁了。Shì a, tā yǐjīng wǔ suì le.Yes, she is already five years old.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
