Chinese Dates: Year, Month and Day with 年、月、日

How to use 年、月、日、号

Chinese calendar dates move from the largest unit to the smallest: year, then month, then day. Each number comes before its unit. Years are normally read digit by digit, whereas month and day numbers are read as ordinary numbers. A month is identified with 月 rather than an English month name.

The day marker 日 is common in formal dates and written schedules. Everyday speech often uses 号 instead; the ordering of the date stays the same. You can leave out the year when context supplies it. When a date tells when an action happens, put it before the verb rather than copying English placement automatically.

Examples with pinyin and English

What to remember

• Keep year before month before day.
• Read year digits individually.
• Use 号 naturally in spoken dates.

Practise the pattern

Practise this topic with the app’s grammar exercises. Your answers and review dates are saved separately from vocabulary practice.

Look up the grammar words

年 · 月 · 日 · 号