Meaning of 岁数
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- age (number of years old)
How to use 岁数
岁数 is a spoken, everyday word for age, often used when talking about older people or asking how old someone is. It often appears in the phrase 上了岁数 (shàng le suìshu), meaning getting on in years. Example: 你爷爷多大岁数了？(Nǐ yéye duō dà suìshu le?) How old is your grandpa?
岁 (suì) means years of age, and 数 (shù) means number. Put them together and you get the number of your years, which is your age.
Common mistake: Learners often say 数 with its full fourth tone, shù. In 岁数 it is usually read in the neutral tone, suìshu. Also, 数 here is the noun reading (shù), not the verb shǔ meaning to count.
岁数 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
岁 suì · classifier for years · 6 strokes
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数 shǔ · to count · 13 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 岁数.
Questions about 岁数
What does 岁数 mean?
岁数 (suìshu) means "age (number of years old)" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 岁数?
岁数 is made of 2 characters: 岁 (6 strokes), 数 (13 strokes). That is 19 strokes in total.
Is 岁数 an HSK word?
Yes. 岁数 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 岁数 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 岁数 is written 歲數.
What is the difference between 岁数 and 年龄?
年龄 (niánlíng) is more formal and common in writing, forms, and official contexts. 岁数 is more colloquial and is often used for older people, as in 上岁数 (shàng suìshu), getting old.
Is it polite to ask someone 您多大岁数了?
Yes, 您多大岁数了 (Nín duō dà suìshu le?) is a respectful way to ask an older person's age. For children you would usually ask 你几岁了 (Nǐ jǐ suì le?) instead.