East Asian Age Reckoning

KOREAN

Koreans generally refer to their age in units called ''sal'' (살), using Korean Numerals in Ordinal form. Thus, a person is one ''sal'' during the first calendar year of life, and ten ''sal'' during the tenth calendar year. For infants, age is often discussed in days or months, as in English.

In modern Korea, the Western age system is widely known and referred to as ''man'' (만, meaning "full") ''sal'', although the traditional system is most often used. For example, ''man yeol sal'' means "full ten years", or "ten years old" in English. Also the Korean word ''dol'' (돌) means years elapsed, identical to the English "years old," but often refers to the first birthday only.

The first 100 days and the first ''dol'' call for large celebrations, and Koreans celebrate their birthdays, even though every Korean gains one ''sal'' on New Year's Day. Additionally, some Koreans, especially of the older generation, reckon their age and birthday by the Lunar Calendar instead of the Gregorian Calendar .

CHINESE

In either the traditional or modern age system, the word ''sui'' (), meaning "years of age", is used for age counting. The traditional age system is referred to as ''xusui'' (), and the modern age system is referred to as ''zhousui'' () or ''shisui'' ().

JAPANESE

The traditional system of age reckoning, or ''kazoedoshi'' (数え年), was obsoleted by law in 1902 when Japan officially adopted the western system, ''man nenrei'' (満年齢). However, the traditional system was still commonly used, so in 1950 another law was established to encourage people to use the western system.

Today the traditional system is mainly used by the elderly. Elsewhere its use is limited to traditional ceremonies, divinations, and obituaries.

VIETNAMESE

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East Asian Age Reckoning