Meaning of 年纪
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- age
Measure word: 把,個|个
How to use 年纪
年纪 is a polite, slightly formal way to talk about someone's age, often for adults or older people. It often appears in phrases like 年纪大 (old) or 年纪轻轻 (very young). Example: 您多大年纪了？(Nín duō dà niánjì le?) How old are you?
年 (nián) means year and 纪 (jì) means a record or period, so 年纪 is the record of your years, which is your age.
Common mistake: Learners often write 纪 as 记 (jì, to remember). They sound the same, but 年纪 uses the silk radical 纟, not the speech radical 讠. Also, do not ask a child 你多大年纪; use 你几岁 (nǐ jǐ suì) instead.
年纪 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.
年 nián · year · 6 strokes
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纪 jì · discipline · 6 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 年纪.
Questions about 年纪
What does 年纪 mean?
年纪 (niánjì) means "age" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 年纪?
年纪 is made of 2 characters: 年 (6 strokes), 纪 (6 strokes). That is 12 strokes in total.
Is 年纪 an HSK word?
Yes. 年纪 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 年纪 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 年纪 is written 年紀.
What is the difference between 年纪 and 年龄?
Both mean age. 年龄 (niánlíng) is more neutral and common on forms and in official writing. 年纪 is more conversational and is often used when talking politely about adults or the elderly.
How do I say someone is old using 年纪?
Say 年纪大了 (niánjì dà le), literally the age has become big. For example, 他年纪大了 (tā niánjì dà le) means he is getting old. This sounds softer than calling someone 老 (lǎo) directly.