Chinese Age Expression – Suì

Grammar Point:
In Chinese, the word 歲岁 suì is used to express age. It specifically refers to the number of years one has lived or their age in years.

Structure

S + Number + 歲/岁 suì

In Chinese, the word 歲 suì is considered a measure word, so there is no need for a linking verb like 是 shì between numbers and 歲 suì. Also, you should not use the measure word 個 ge before 歲 suì since it would be redundant.

弟弟dìdi15 歲suì弟弟dìdi15 岁suì
My younger brother is 15 years old.

我wǒ永遠yǒngyuǎn18 歲suì我wǒ永远yǒngyuǎn18 岁suì
I’m forever 18 years old.

我的wǒde狗gǒu七qī歲suì半bàn我的wǒde狗gǒu七qī岁suì半bàn
My dog is seven and a half years old.

這zhè棵kē樹shù一千yìqiān五百wǔbǎi歲suì这zhè棵kē树shù一千yìqiān五百wǔbǎi岁suì
This tree is 1,500 years old.

你nǐ媽媽māma今年jīnnián也yě55 歲suì嗎ma？ 你nǐ妈妈māma今年jīnnián也yě55 岁suì吗ma？
Is your mother also 55 years old this year?

我wǒ還沒háiméi19 歲suì我wǒ还没háiméi19 岁suì
I am not 19 years old yet.

我wǒ不是búshì三sān歲suì小孩xiǎohái我wǒ不是búshì三sān岁suì小孩xiǎohái
I’m not a three-year-old child.

FYI
The Chinese expression “我不是三歲岁小孩” actually translates to “I wasn’t born yesterday” in English. It is a figurative phrase commonly used to indicate that the speaker is not naïve, gullible, or easily fooled. It implies that the speaker is mature, experienced, and capable of understanding or seeing through certain situations or deceitful behavior.

Question

In Chinese culture, directly asking someone’s age is generally considered impolite. However, it is acceptable to ask about someone’s age in certain situations where it is relevant, such as when filling out official forms or determining eligibility for certain activities or services. There are few ways to ask people’s age in Chinese?

<Asking animals and people>

你nǐ幾jǐ歲suì？ 你nǐ几jǐ岁suì？
How old are you?

<Asking elder people like grandpa or grandma>

您nín多duō大dà？ 您nín多duō大dà？
How old are you?

您nín貴guì庚gēng？ 您nín贵guì庚gēng？
How old are you? (very polite)

<In hospital>

出生chūshēng年nián月yuè日rì？ 出生chūshēng年nián月yuè日rì？
What is your date and year of birth?

<Asking people age in Taiwan (informal)>

你nǐ幾jǐ年次niáncì的de？ 你nǐ几jǐ年次niáncì的de？
What year were you born in?

FYI
For this question, you need to answer in Taiwan Minguo Year. Taiwan has our own calendar system known as the Minguo calendar. In the Minguo calendar, the year is counted from the establishment of the Republic of China (ROC) in 1912. For example, the year 2023 in the Gregorian calendar would be referred to as the 112th year of the Republic of China (民國国112年) in the Minguo calendar. It is commonly used in Taiwan for official purposes, such as on government documents and in some traditional contexts.

Common Mistakes

Remember the word 歲岁 suì is considered a measure word, so there is no need for a linking verb like 是 shì between numbers and 歲岁 suì. Also, you should not use the measure word 個个 ge before 歲岁 suì since it would be redundant.

我wǒ是shì15 歲suì我wǒ是shì15 岁suì ❌

我wǒ15 個ge歲suì我wǒ15 个ge岁suì ❌