Chinese word

年龄

Pronunciation

Pinyinnián líng

Meaning

  • nounage

Example

请问你的年龄是多少？qǐng wèn nǐ de nián líng shì duō shǎo

May I ask your age?

Illustration for 年龄 (age)

More examples

报名时请注意年龄限制，未满者不能参加。bào míng shí qǐng zhù yì nián líng xiàn zhì wèi mǎn zhě bù néng cān jiā

When registering, please note the age limit; anyone below it cannot participate.

Core concept

The length of a life or existence counted in whole years.

Common phrases

  • 年龄限制nián líng xiàn zhì

    age limit

  • 实际年龄shí jì nián líng

    actual age

  • 年龄相仿nián líng xiāng fǎng

    close in age

Similar words

年纪nián jì: A casual spoken term for someone's age.
岁数suì shù: A person's age expressed as a number of years.

Definition in Chinese

指按年计算的年龄，通常用年数表示个人的岁数，也可用于计量物品或事件已存在的年份。zhǐ àn nián jì suàn de nián líng tōng cháng yòng nián shù biǎo shì gè rén de suì shù yě kě yòng yú jì liàng wù pǐn huò shì jiàn yǐ cún zài de nián fèn

Word origin

年龄 (niánlíng, "age") combines 年 (nián, "year") and 龄 (líng, "age"), linking the idea of a year with a period of existence.

Usage tips

  • Age can be a personal topic in casual conversation, so questions about it are more natural when the social or practical context makes them relevant.

Related words

  • 平均年龄píng jūn nián língaverage agenoun
  • 年龄差距nián líng chā jùage gapnoun

Word lists with this word