NumbersHSK 1

Structure of dates

Dates in Chinese go from the largest unit to the smallest: year, then month, then day. Use 年 after the year, 月 after the month, and 日 after the day.

In spoken Mandarin, 号 is often used instead of 日 for the day of the month. Both are correct, but 日 is more formal and common in written Chinese.

Structure

Number + 年 + Number + 月 + Number + 日

for written/formal dates

Number + 年 + Number + 月 + Number + 号

for spoken/informal dates

1868年1月18号
Yī-bā-liù-bā nián Yī yuè shíbā hào
January 18, 1868
1910年8月9号
Yī-jiǔ-yī-líng nián Bā yuè jiǔ hào
August 9, 1910
2001年7月20日
èr-líng-líng-yī nián Qī yuè èrshí rì
July 20th, 2001
1月1日是新年。
Yī yuè yī rì shì Xīnnián.
January 1st is New Year's Day.
你的生日是11月11号吗？
Nǐ de shēngrì shì Shíyī yuè shíyī hào ma?
Is your birthday November 11th?