How do you calculate your age ?

[renshanrenhai]

This topic might seem a bit stupid to you at first glance, but that's what confused me a lot.

At the family reunion dinner, my family member told me that I am xx years old now, two years older than it is. It shocked me as I don't understand how they calculate my age. I was born in xxxx, so to calculate my age I just use 2012 minus xxxx and xx left . As my birthday in 2012 is not coming yet , I would tell others that I am xxyears old. But my family member always like to add another two years old to my age which always puzzles me a lot.

When asked what theory it was based on when they count my age as such, they usually answer that we should follow our tradition. Actually they don't know the reason why, neither.

Is there anyone who know well about Chinese culture can explain it ?

How do people from other countries calculate age?

Any explanation is welcomed.

[HedgePig]

I think the "traditional" Chinese way is firstly to regard someone as 1 year old at birth (which I suppose is actually more accurate than being zero) and then turning a year older at Chinese New Year. So using the traditional way, you could have been born just before Chinese New Year and be 2 years old a week later!

I know that my father-in-law has celebrated his 80th birthday for the last 3 years running.....

[renshanrenhai]

know that my father-in-law has celebrate his 80th birthday for the last 3 years running.....

Yeah, i know this custom too. And did you ask your father-in-law why he celebrated his birthday 3 years in advance ?

The version I got is celebrating the birthday as it is is what should be done for the dead people.

It's not fair to those who was born on the day near the Chinese New Year.....

[kdavid]

I think the "traditional" Chinese way is firstly to regard someone as 1 year old at birth (which I suppose is actually more accurate than being zero) and then turning a year older at Chinese New Year. So using the traditional way, you could have been born just before Chinese New Year and be 2 years old a week later!

This is how I've explained it.

Also, many Chinese just say 我今年。。。 (This year, I'm....). So, for example, if your 29th birthday is in December, and it's now January, you'd say you're 29, even though you *just* turned 28.

Also, a lot of people just say 我快三十，四十等 (I'm almost 30, 40...) or 三十多，四十多 (I'm in my 30s, 40s, etc.). My wife has been "almost 30" for at least 3 years now.

I find that Chinese people are often as accurate with their age as they are the time. For my in-laws (and my wife!) it's either 三点多 or 快四点 ("after ___ o'clock" or "almost ___ o'clock"). There's no inbetween for them. Sometimes, even when it's 3:30 right on the money, she'll say it's almost 4.

[imron]

Yeah, China has the whole 虚岁 vs 周岁. Often I find it easier just to ask 你属什么, rather than someone's age, because at least asking that I'll be able to convert it to what I consider the person's age to be, irrespective of whether they go by 虚 or 周岁.

[renshanrenhai]

Yeah, China has the whole 虚岁 vs 周岁. Often I find it easier just to ask 你属什么, rather than someone's age, because at least asking that I'll be able to convert it to what I consider the person's age to be, irrespective of whether they go by 虚 or 周岁.

That's the reason why I don't care for the lunar calender, it's hard to calculate....

[dreamon]

Sally-txl, may I suggest that you remove your precise birthday from the website and just keep the year, because in the USA (and possibly other Western countries) knowing your birthday may help criminals to, say, borrow money in your name or break into your account.

[renshanrenhai]

Sally-txl, may I suggest that you remove your precise birthday from the website and just keep the year, because in the USA (and possibly other Western countries) knowing your birthday may help criminals to, say, borrow money in your name or break into your account.

Thanks for your kind reminding and I will take your advice, but i don't think they can hurt me as....

[dreamon]

Sally-txl> ... but i don't think they can hurt me as....

You are welcome! Today they will not hurt you, but how about in 10 years time? Once your post gets into the Internet Archive and other such repositories, it will remain there for all to search. (And it will remain on this forum, searchable by Google, for many years until you or the moderator delete it.)

[Lu]

How would it be harmful? All we know of Sally is her birthday, presumably to steal her money one would at least need to know her real name.

More on-topic: it can also work to ask which year someone was born.

[skylee]

I have posted before on this subject on the following threads, which might be helpful ->

http://www.chinese-f...zodiac-mystery/

http://www.chinese-f...e-calculations/

PS - why would people ask about other people's age (unless for official purposes)? this is hard for me to understand.

[dreamon]

Lu> How would it be harmful?

In the U.S. various organizations often ask for one's birthday to confirm one's identity. The criminals may learn Sally's name from a different source that also mentions or links to her nickname. Also, if Sally mentioned her birthday here, chances are, she did it in many other online places as well.

[Lu]

PS - why would people ask about other people's age (unless for official purposes)? this is hard for me to understand.

It's rarely indispensable information, but it tends to come up when you're getting to know someone new, or when someone has their birthday. While highly relevant when one is young, I suppose this keeps getting less relevant the older one gets. Of the friends I made in my twenties I usually only know vaguely whether they are older or younger than me, rarely their exact age.

[civic94]

so how does the "average" chinese calcualte their age? for example if they are born in 4/1/82, and today is 4/5/2012, by american standards that person Just 30, but in my parents view, they just turned 31 becasue once your born, you are 1 year old.

[skylee]

You might wish to define "average" first. And many people may count their own age in different ways in different context.

[yialanliu]

The reason why you add 2 is due to the fact that during the time, it is before your birthday of the year but after the chinese new year of the year.

You are 1 when you are born. you become the next age after chinese new year.

Thus the time between chinese new year until your birthday, you add 2 years to your age if you are using western standards. Once your bithday hits, your chinese age doesn't change but your western one does so you are effectively adding 1 again.

Birthdays are still celebrated (some do so on lunar calendars though like my family), but your age doesn't change.

For people who are born before Chinese New Year but after january 1st, it is slightly different again because you will be even higher in age in the Chinese age counting system.

[heifeng]

Q:How do you calculate your age ?

A: I do what yialanliu said...and then I subtract ten. Sometimes it's difficult to keep my web of white lies consistent, but then I just change the subject.

Explanation: Why not