你几岁？
nǐ jǐ suì?
How old are you (to a child) · trad. 你幾歲？
你几岁？ (nǐ jǐ suì) is a common question used to ask a child's age. It is appropriate for children up to early teens.
What does 你几岁？ (nǐ jǐ suì?) mean?
你几岁？ (nǐ jǐ suì?) means “how old are you (to a child)” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “you how many years old?”
When to use it
Informal and specifically for children. Never use 你几岁？ to ask an adult's age, as it can be considered rude. For adults, use 您多大年纪？ (nín duō dà niánjì) or 您多大了？ (nín duō dà le). For peers, you can use 你多大了？ (nǐ duō dà le).
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “nee jee SWAY.” The first two third tones, 你 and 几, combine so that 你 becomes a rising tone, making it “ní jǐ suì.”
Other ways to say it
- 你多大了？nǐ duō dà le?how old are you? (to a peer or younger adult)
- 您多大了？nín duō dà le?how old are you? (polite, to an adult)
- 您多大年纪？nín duō dà niánji?how old are you? (very polite, to an elder)
Examples
小朋友，你几岁？
xiǎopéngyou, nǐ jǐ suì?
Little friend, how old are you?
你几岁了？上小学了吗？
nǐ jǐ suì le? shàng xiǎoxué le ma?
How old are you? Are you in primary school yet?
这个小女孩看起来很可爱，你几岁？
zhège xiǎo nǚhái kàn qǐlái hěn kě'ài, nǐ jǐ suì?
This little girl looks very cute, how old are you?
Pro tip: Always remember to use 你几岁？ only for children. Using it with adults is a common mistake for learners and can be quite impolite.
Related phrases
你的生日是几月几号？ · When is your birthday幺 · 1 in phone numbers (yāo)您多大年纪？ · How old are you (polite)
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