Chinese Birthday Traditions by: Judy 0 Comments Posted:4/13/2023Updated:4/11/2023 Chinese birthday traditions usually boil down to the most well-known one—eating noodles on your birthday as a symbol of longevity.But there’s so much more to celebrating your birthday in Chinese culture.Let’s explore this topic! There are some worthy old wives’ tales and fun facts, as well as some practical tips for navigating Chinese birthday customs.  Etiquette & Birthday Terminology By Age   In the old days, if you were to ask a Chinese person’s age, they would gladly tell you.

But these days, Chinese folks are influenced more and more by Western culture, so don’t be surprised if people try to dodge the age question—especially women!  But if you must ask, here is how to ask a Chinese person their age: When asking children: “你几岁了?” (Nǐ jǐ suìle?) This is usually a friendly question, asked with a big smile!  When asking a young to middle aged person, “请问您贵庚?” Qǐngwèn nín guìgēng？ This phrasing is more polite than what you might ask a child.  When asking a young to middle aged woman, you can also use, “请问您芳龄?” Qǐngwèn nín fānglíng? Again, this is polite phrasing, but just know that she may politely decline to answer.  When asking the elderly (both men and women), “请问您高寿?” Qǐngwèn nín gāoshòu? Again, a big smile never hurts.  There are also different customs

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