When being asked your age in Mandarin, what number do you give? I ask because I noticed three things: 1) The actual question is Mandarin is "how old are you this year"?, which to me can either mean "

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Miguel -SpanishInput

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When being asked your age in Mandarin, what number do you give? I ask because I noticed three things: 1) The actual question is Mandarin is "how old are you this year"?, which to me can either mean "what is your age right now?" or "when your birthday came/comes this year, how old will you be?" 2) In Wikipedia it says there are different ways to calculate your age in the Chinese culture, but nothing really conclusive. 3) I once asked this question to a Chinese person and instead of giving me a number she gave me the year of birth, so I guess she wanted to avoid the ambiguity. So my question is: When asked this question by a Chinese person, what do you actually give as a reply?

2014년 8월 26일 오후 6:35

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well, in China,you can give the year of birth or the number,both okay. usually,our age is 1 or 2 years oleder because we count our age according to lunar calendar。 when a baby is born,he or she is already 1 year old.and we add our years of ege every Spring Festival. for axample, if you are born in December,then you are 1 year old right away. and if it is Spring Festival in 2 months, you will be 2 years old then.

2014년 8월 27일

There isn't any difference between the age in China and other countries. (You just say the number of years). Instead in South Korea for example you are usually 1 year older, because they start counting your age during the 9 months that the mother is pregnant. When South Koreans talk to foreigners though, they use the "international age" in order not to create confusion.

2014년 8월 26일

1) it means "right now" 2) calculate it by your date in Chinese calendar 3) she just avoided answering properly, ask her exact date by Chinese calendar, year, month and day

2014년 8월 28일

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