In traditional Chinese culture,age isn't considered privacy.It is a topic often brought up in social occasions.

Nevertheless,different ways are employed to ask about the age of different people.

For kids younger than 10,people ask“你今年几岁了?(How old are you?)”;for a young person or someone of one's own age,one may ask“你今年多大了?(How old are you?)”;

for an elder person,however,one should use“您今年多大年纪了?(What's your age?)”to show respect.

1. Diminutive or endearing meaning

For example, in Chinese, words like "小猫儿 (xiǎo māor,kitten)" and "小狗儿 (xiǎo gǒur,puppy)" . The "儿" here conveys a sense of endearment, making the things referred to seem even cuter and smaller. Compared with simply saying "小猫 (xiǎo māo,cat)"and "小狗 (xiǎo gǒu,dog)". it adds an affectionate and loving emotional tone. Another example is "小孩儿 (xiǎo háir,child)". After adding "儿", besides simply meaning a young child, it also sounds softer and more affectionate in tone, with a feeling of fondness for the child contained within. Also, take "脸蛋儿 (liǎn dànr,cheeks)"for instance. Compared with "脸蛋 (liǎn dàn,cheeks)", using "脸蛋儿 (liǎn dànr)" to address someone makes it feel more endearing and cute, endowing the described object with an adorable quality.

2. Indicating a certain regional dialect or colloquial usage

For example, in some northern dialect areas, the use of the "儿" (r) retroflex suffix is extremely common and has distinct regional characteristics and a colloquial style. In Beijing dialect, for instance, words like "这儿" (zhèr,here), "那儿" (nàr,there), "事儿" (shìr,thing/matter) etc., when pronounced with the "儿" suffix, sound more smooth and natural. Moreover, these are words that frequently appear in daily spoken communication, fully embodying the characteristics of the local dialect and the way of colloquial expression. This phenomenon of adding the "儿" suffix is a very common language habit in the dialects and daily spoken conversations of many northern areas. It can make the speech seem more amiable, easy-going, down-to-earth, and carry a strong flavor of local life.

3.Changing words classes in some cases

In some instances, adding “儿” can change a word's classes. For example:

I. Verbs Changing into Nouns

"画 (huà)" as a verb means "to draw, to paint", such as "画画 (huà huà)" (to draw), "画一幅风景 (huà yī fú fēngjǐng)" (to paint a landscape). After adding "儿", "画儿 (huàr)" is a noun, referring to a picture, for example, "墙上挂着一幅画儿 (qiáng shàng guà zhe yī fú huàr)" (There is a picture hanging on the wall).

II. Adjectives Changing into Nouns

"尖 (jiān)" is an adjective, meaning "sharp at the end, pointed", like "笔尖很尖 (bǐ jiān hěn jiān)" (The tip of the pen is very sharp), "山峰很尖 (shān fēng hěn jiān)" (The mountain peak is very sharp). When it becomes "尖儿 (jiānr)", it is a noun, referring to the pointed end part of an object, such as "针的尖儿 (zhēn de jiānr)" (the tip of a needle), "塔的尖儿 (tǎ de jiānr)" (the tip of a tower). It has changed from describing a state (sharp) to referring to a specific part of a thing.

bǎndèng kuān，

bǎndèng méiyǒu biǎndàn cháng，

biǎndàn méiyǒu bǎndèng kuān。

biǎndàn yào biǎndàn bǎngzài bǎndèng shàng，

bǎndèng bùràng biǎndàn bǎngzài bǎndèng shàng。

biǎndàn piān yào biǎndàn bǎngzài bǎndèng shàng！

扁担长，板凳宽，板凳没有扁担长，扁担没有板凳宽。

扁担要扁担绑在板凳上，板凳不让扁担绑在板凳上。扁担偏要扁担绑在板凳上！

The carrying pole is long and the bench is wide. The bench is not as long as the carrying pole. The carrying pole is not as wide as the bench.

The carrying pole wants to be tied to the bench. The bench doesn't allow the carrying pole to be tied to the bench.

The carrying pole insists on having the carrying pole tied to the bench!

西巷有个漆匠，

qīxiàng yǒu gè xījiàng，

七巷有个锡匠，

xīxiàng de qījiàng tōu le qīxiàng xījiàng de xī，

西巷的漆匠偷了七巷锡匠的锡，

qīxiàng de xījiàng ná le xīxiàng qījiàng de qī。

七巷的锡匠拿了西巷漆匠的漆。

There is a painter in the west lane. There is a tinsmith in the seventh lane. The painter in the west lane stole the tin of the tinsmith in the seventh lane. The tinsmith in the seventh lane took the paint of the painter in the west lane.

What number is this?

The measure word for apple is "个".

sentences:

这是什么？

这是几个苹果？

你有几个苹果？

你 家 有 几口 人 ？

wǒ jiā yǒu wǔ kǒu rén，tāmen shì bàba，māma, jiějie，dìdi hé wǒ。

我 家有 五口 人 ，他们 是 爸爸，妈妈姐姐 ，弟弟和（Hé，and）我。

Nǐ yǒu gēge/dìdi/jiějie/mèimei ma？

你 有 哥哥/弟弟/姐姐/妹妹 吗？

nǐyǒu jǐ ge gēge？

你有 几个哥哥？

nǐ yǒu jǐge dìdi？

你 有 几个 弟弟？

nǐ yǒu jǐge jiějie？

你 有 几个 姐姐 ？

nǐ yǒu jǐge mèimei？

你 有 几个 妹妹 ？

补充生词：

yéye nǎinia bàba māma

爷爷、奶奶、爸爸、妈妈

ɡēɡe jiějie dìdi mèimei

哥哥、姐姐、弟弟、妹妹

你 女儿几岁了？How old is your daughter?

“几岁” is usually used to ask about the age of children(their ages less than 10).

2. ......多大（了）？For example:

你女儿今年多大了？How old is your daughter?

“多大” can be used to ask about the age of people of any age.

Notes:

疑问代词“几”用来询问数量的多少，一般用于询问10以下的数字。

The interrogative pronoun“几”is used to ask about a number,usually less than 10.

下雨了！ (xià yǔ le，It's raining.）Here, “了” mainly plays the role of conveying the tone that the situation has changed, that is, it wasn't raining before but now it is.)

你瘦了! （nǐ shòu le，You've lost weight.）(Here, “了” indicates that there is a change in the situation compared to before. Maybe you didn't look as thin before, but now you do.)

没有水了. （méi yǒu shuǐ le!There's no water left!）(In this sentence, “了” is used to show that the situation has changed. Previously, there might have been water, but now it has run out.)

他今年30岁了！

2.你今年多大了？ Nǐ jīnnián duō dà le?

3.你的汉语老师今年多大了？ Nǐ de Hànyǔ lǎoshī jīnnián duō dà le ?

4.你的中国朋友家有几口人？ Nǐ de Zhōnɡɡuó pénɡyou jiā yǒu jǐ kǒu rén ?

5.你的中国朋友今年多大了？ Nǐ de Zhōnɡɡuó pénɡyou jīnnián duō dà le ?

2.介绍这位名人的家庭成员及年龄情况。Describe the family members and ages of this famous person.

Referable Sentences:

这是……的家。他/她家有……口人。

这是……，这是……，这是……。

……今年……岁了。

他/她……今年……。他/她……今年……。

……

A：你 有 女儿 吗？

Wǒ méiyǒu nǚ’ér，wǒ yóu érzi.

B: 我 没有 女儿， 我 有 儿子。

Nǐ yóu jǐɡè érzi.

A：你 有 几个儿子？

Wǒ yǒu liǎnɡ ɡè érzi, nǐ ne?

B：我 有 两 个儿子，你呢？

Wǒ méiyǒu érzi， wǒ yǒu yí ɡè nǚ’ér

A：我 没 有 儿子， 我 有 一个 女儿。

Nǐ nǚ’ér jǐ suì le

B：你 女儿 几岁 了?

Wǒ nǚ’ér suì le. nǐ érzi duō dà le

A：我 女儿 12 岁了。你 儿子 多大 了？

yí ɡè bā suì，yí ɡè shí suì

B：一 个 8 岁，一 个 10 岁。

（1） ......几岁（了）？(How old are you?) “几岁”常用来询问十岁以下年龄的孩子。“......几岁（了）” is often used to ask about children younger than 10 years old. For example:

nǐ nǚ’ér jǐsuì le

你 女儿 几岁了？

（2）“多大”在句中表示疑问，用于询问年龄。例如：

“多大”is used to ask about one's age(at any age.). For example:

（1）你多大了？

（2）你女儿今年几岁了？

（3）李老师今年多大了？