Meaning
This phrase describes someone or something that is seventy-five years of age. It combines the number 七十五 (seventy-five) with the age counter 岁 (years of age). This is the standard way to express specific ages in Mandarin Chinese.
Usage
Used to state someone's exact age, typically in biographical contexts, medical records, or when precision is needed. In casual conversation, people might round to approximate ages like '七十多岁' (seventy-something years old). When asking someone's age politely, especially for elders, Chinese speakers often use '您多大年纪？' rather than directly asking the number.
Examples
- 01我爷爷今年七十五岁了，身体还很健康。, .My grandfather is seventy-five years old this year, and his health is still very good.
- 02她七十五岁还在工作，真让人佩服。, .She's still working at seventy-five years old, which is really admirable.
Characters
Common collocations
- 今年七十五岁seventy-five years old this year
- 活到七十五岁to live to seventy-five
- 七十五岁的老人a seventy-five-year-old person
Origin
岁 originally referred to the planet Jupiter and its cycle, which the ancient Chinese used to measure time. Over time it became the standard counter for years of age.