世 shì — life; age; generation; era; world; lifetime
这是世界上最高的山。Zhè shì shì jiè shàng zuì gāo de shān.This is the tallest mountain in the world.
Common words: 世界 (shì jiè)、世纪 (shì jì)、去世 (qù shì)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "age"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "age", including 世 (shì), 纪 (jì), 龄 (líng). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "age" covers 3 different Chinese characters — 世 (shì), 纪 (jì), 龄 (líng) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 3 characters do not share a sound — their readings span shì, jì, líng — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 世 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 世 shìlife; age; generation; era; world; lifetimeUseful words: 世界, 世纪
- 纪 jìdiscipline; age; era; period; order; recordUseful words: 世纪, 纪念
- 龄 língageUseful words: 年龄, 高龄
Common words for these 3 "age" characters
Anchor each of these 3 characters in a word you can picture — start with 世 (shì) — so "age" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 3 ways to say "age".
纪 jì — discipline; age; era; period; order; record
这座建筑有几个世纪的历史。Zhè zuò jiàn zhù yǒu jǐ ge shì jì de lì shǐ.This building has a history of several centuries.
Common words: 世纪 (shì jì)、纪念 (jì niàn)、年纪 (nián jì)
龄 líng — age
这棵古树的年龄已经超过了一百岁。Zhè kē gǔ shù de nián líng yǐ jīng chāo guò le yì bǎi suì.This ancient tree is over a hundred years old.
Common words: 年龄 (nián líng)、高龄 (gāo líng)、大龄 (dà líng)
All 3 characters
Open 世、纪、龄 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.