AGE    年齡年／歲

PERIOD a CREATURE has been LIVE:alive in the PAST. 
LENGTH OF LIFESTAGE OF LIFEGENERATIONAGE GROUP
Old Chinese Criteria
[ARCHAIC/CURRENT] [BASIC/MARGINAL] [BRIEF/LONG] [COMMON/RARE] [POETIC/PROSAIC] [QUANTIFIED/UNQUANTIFIED [ELEVATED], [INFORMAL] 1. Nián 年, basically an agricultural term, "year of one's life" refers to age specifically in terms of number year, and the focus is on this period as having a certain length. [COMMON], [QUANTIFIED] 2. Suì 歲, basically an astronomical term, refers to the year as an astronomical unit and then to "number of years one has lived"; the refers to the unit by which years are counted and the length of time as such. A primary basis of the image in these words is plant life. [BASIC], [FREQUENT], [QUANTIFIED] 3. Chǐ 齒 typically refers to the age of animals, but the word also has generalised meanings where it refers informally to the age or seniority of humans. The primary basis of the image for time is the fauna of teethed animals. [ARCHAIC]; [[RARE]] 4. Shòu 壽 refers to venerable high age as something desirable rather than as connoting decrepitude. [ELEVATED], [LONG] 5. Chūn qiū 春秋 refers periphrastically, in polite and flowery speech, to years of age. See YEAR. [ELEVATED], [POETIC], [QUANTIFIED]
Modern Chinese Criteria
年齡 年紀 年歲 歲數 春秋 年華 年齒 年庚 年事 年壽 年考 年命 年 歲 庚 (lit) is limited to the phrase guìgēng 貴庚 "your honourable age". 齡 (obs) 齒 (obs) is limited to classical idioms. 貴庚 貴甲子 first rough draft to identify synonym group members for future analysis, based on CL. 18.11.2003. CH/
Hyponym
  • OLD　Of BIG AGE OR having EXISTED for an ENDURING PERIOD. (anc: 6/0, child: 1)
  • YOUNG　Of SMALL AGE. (anc: 6/0, child: 0)
  • PUBERTY　AGE when HUMANS BEGIN to DESIRE INTERCOURSE. (anc: 6/0, child: 0)
    See also
    • YEARTIME OF the SUN MOVING ROUND the EARTH.
    Hypernym
    • PERIOD　TIME CONSISTING of a LIMITED SEQUENCE of MOMENTS. (anc: 4/0, child: 20)
    • TIME　ABSTRACT OBJECT that all EVENTS ARE-IN. (anc: 3/0, child: 11)
    • OBJECT　[NO HYPERNYM.] WHAT one CAN NAME:refer to. (anc: 2/0, child: 6)
  • A Dictionary of Selected Synonyms in the Principal Indo-European Languages ( BUCK 1988) p. 14.12

  • Anthologia sive Florilegium rerum et materiarum selectarum ( LANGIUS 1631) p. 28

    AETAS

  • Lateinische Synonymik ( MENGE) p. 294

  • Historisches Woerterbuch der Philosophie ( RITTER 1971-2007) p. 5.112

  • "Sachwoerterbuch zum Alten China" ( UNGER SACH) p.

    ALTER

  • 中國文化背景八千詞 Zhongguo wenhua beijing ba qian ci ( WU SANXING 2008) p. 107ff

  • 中國文化背景八千詞 Zhongguo wenhua beijing ba qian ci ( WU SANXING 2008) p. 115ff

  • Using Chinese Synonyms ( GRACE ZHANG 2010) p. 293

  • Chinese Synonyms Usage Dictionary ( TENG SHOU-HSIN 1996) p. 323

  • Chinese Synonyms Usage Dictionary ( TENG SHOU-HSIN 1996) p. 432

  • 現代漢語同義詞詞典 ( LIU SHUXIN 1987) p. 436

    • Words (38 items)

    年  nián OC: niin MC: nen 32 Attributions

    Nián 年 , basically an agricultural term, "year of one's life" refers to age specifically in terms of number year, and the focus is on this period as having a certain length. [COMMON], [QUANTIFIED]

      Word relations
    • Assoc: 齒/AGE Chǐ 齒 typically refers to the age of animals, but the word also has generalised meanings where it refers informally to the age or seniority of humans. The primary basis of the image for time is the fauna of teethed animals. [ARCHAIC]; [[RARE]]
    • Synon: 春秋/AGE Chūn qiū 春秋 refers periphrastically, in polite and flowery speech, to years of age. See YEAR. [ELEVATED], [POETIC], [QUANTIFIED]

      Syntactic words
    • nab(post-N)the contextually determinate N's age; the number of years one lives, the time-span one has lived or will live 盡其天年
    • nab.post-Nthe age of N
    • nabtimeyears of age
    • nadSin age
    • nadV.[adN]somebody N of V ageDS
    • nadV.postN{SUBJ}in age, by years of age 年老 "old in age"
    齒  chǐ OC: khljɯʔ MC: tɕhɨ 23 Attributions

    Chǐ 齒 typically refers to the age of animals, but the word also has generalised meanings where it refers informally to the age or seniority of humans. The primary basis of the image for time is the fauna of teethed animals. [ARCHAIC]; [[RARE]]

      Word relations
    • Assoc: 年/AGE Nián 年 , basically an agricultural term, "year of one's life" refers to age specifically in terms of number year, and the focus is on this period as having a certain length. [COMMON], [QUANTIFIED]

      Syntactic words
    • nabstativeage; seniority; degree of seniority, rank of seniority
    • viage ZUO Wen 1
    春秋  chūn qiū OC: thjun tshiw MC: tɕhʷin tshɨu 6 Attributions

    Chūn qiū 春秋 refers periphrastically, in polite and flowery speech, to years of age. See YEAR. [ELEVATED], [POETIC], [QUANTIFIED]

      Word relations
    • Contrast: 歲/AGE Suì 歲, basically an astronomical term, refers to the year as an astronomical unit and then to "number of years one has lived"; the refers to the unit by which years are counted and the length of time as such. A primary basis of the image in these words is plant life. [BASIC], [FREQUENT], [QUANTIFIED]
    • Synon: 年/AGE Nián 年 , basically an agricultural term, "year of one's life" refers to age specifically in terms of number year, and the focus is on this period as having a certain length. [COMMON], [QUANTIFIED]

      Syntactic words
    • NPyears of age (and of activity) 富春秋 "still young"
    • NPadvancedold age, advanced ageCH
    僧夏  sēng xià OC: sɯɯŋ ɡraas MC: səŋ ɦɣɛ 5 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPabBUDDH: 'age as a monk' (the number of years somebody has been a monk/nun during his/her life)
    笄  jī OC: kee MC: kei 4 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • vadVat the age of 15 yearsDS
    • vi[put on a hairpin as sign of maturity >][CA] (of girls) ca. 15 years of age [LIJI age of 20][CA]
    耄  mào OC: moows MC: mɑu 3 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • v[adN]the very oldCH
    • vibe very old; LIJI: 80/90 years of age
    年歲  nián suì OC: niin sqʷads MC: nen siɛi 3 Attributions
    • () p. 612

      Syntactic words
    • NPab{N1=N2}stativeage, number of years one has lived
    歲  suì OC: sqʷads MC: siɛi 3 Attributions

    Suì 歲, basically an astronomical term, refers to the year as an astronomical unit and then to "number of years one has lived"; the refers to the unit by which years are counted and the length of time as such. A primary basis of the image in these words is plant life. [BASIC], [FREQUENT], [QUANTIFIED]

      Word relations
    • Contrast: 春秋/AGE Chūn qiū 春秋 refers periphrastically, in polite and flowery speech, to years of age. See YEAR. [ELEVATED], [POETIC], [QUANTIFIED]

      Syntactic words
    • nabstativecurrent age, number of years one has lived
    • ncpost-V{NUM}.adNof X age
    • n{PRED}post-VV=numberbe V years oldDS
    齡  líng OC: ɡ-reeŋ MC: leŋ 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • nyear of age
    • viage
    天年  tiān nián OC: lʰiin niin MC: then nen 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NP(post-N)natural maximum lifetime
    年壽  nián shòu OC: niin djuʔ MC: nen dʑɨu 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPlong life, long life span
    旄  mào OC: moows MC: mɑu 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • nsubject=humanloan for 耄: those, who are 80/90 years of age
    壽齡  shòu líng OC: ɡ-reeŋ MC: ɨu leŋ 2 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPabage
    老  lǎo OC: ɡ-ruuʔ MC: lɑu 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • viLIJI: be 70 years of age
    耆  qí OC: ɡri MC: gi 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • viLIJI: 60 years of age
    艾  ài OC: ŋaads MC: ŋɑi 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • viLIJI: be 50 years of age
    載  zài OC: sklɯɯs MC: tsəi 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • nabfeatureage
    耳順  ěr shùn OC: mljɯʔ ɢjuns MC: ȵɨ ʑʷin 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPiLY 2.4: 60 years of age
    齔  chèn OC: tshrins MC: ʈʂhɪn 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • nabage
    • viSHUOWEN: seven or eight years of age (when milk teeth are changed)
    多小  duō xiǎo OC: k-laal smewʔ MC: tɑ siɛu 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPihow many > how many years > be of what age
    載祀  zǎi sì OC: skɯɯʔ sɢlɯʔ MC: tsəi zɨ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • NPage (of a physical object); years of age reached, the number of years something lasts
    不惑  bù huò OC: pɯʔ ɡʷɯɯɡ MC: pi̯ut ɦək 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPiLY 2.4: 40 years of age
    壯  zhuàng OC: skraŋs MC: ʈʂi̯ɐŋ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • vicontinuousLIJI: 30 years of age; be adult
    壽  shòu OC: djuʔ MC: dʑɨu 1 Attribution

    Shòu 壽 refers to venerable high age as something desirable rather than as connoting decrepitude. [ELEVATED], [LONG]

      Syntactic words
    • nabfeaturevenerable advanced age
    強  qiáng OC: ɡaŋ MC: gi̯ɐŋ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • viLIJI: 40 years of age
    未毀齒  wèi huǐ chǐ MC: mj+jH xjweX tsyhiX OC: mɯds qhʷralʔ khljɯʔ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPadVat the age of 7 – 8 years < when the milk teeth were still not lost DS
    而立  ér lì OC: njɯ ɡ-rub MC: ȵɨ lip 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPi30 years of age (based on LY)
    耋  dié OC: ɡ-liiɡ MC: det 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • viERYA: be 80 years of age (Guo Pu's commentary)[become old]
    膝下  xī xià MC: sit haeX OC: siɡ ɢraaʔ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPitender age, the age of a little childLZ
    羊車  yáng chē OC: k-laŋ khlja MC: ji̯ɐŋ tɕhɣɛ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NP(post-Han) sheep carriage> the age of a child when it plays 'sheep carriage'
    年齒  nián chǐ OC: niin khljɯʔ MC: nen tɕhɨ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPabtimeage
    期頤  jī yí OC: kɯ k-lɯ MC: kɨ jɨ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPiLIJI: 100 years of age
    壽夭  shòu yāo OC: djuʔ qrowʔ MC: dʑɨu ʔiɛu 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPabfeaturerelative long-livedness
    識環  shí huán OC: qhljɯɡ ɡʷraan MC: ɕɨk ɦɣan 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPi(post-Han) know the ring> age when one consciously distinguishes between objects (3-4 years old) ?????
    弱冠  ruò guān OC: njewɡ koon MC: ȵi̯ɐk kʷɑn 0 Attributions
    • 三禮詞典 Sanli cidian ( QIAN XUAN 1998) p. 633

      Note the problem of punctuation: Qian Xuan punctuates 二十弱，冠, but Kong Yingda does read the two words together in his commentary.

      Syntactic words
    • NP{vadV(.adN)}20 years of age [Note that guàn 冠 should probably be taken as a verb "capped" here. But this must be discussed. See LEXEME sources]
    知命  zhī mìng OC: te mɢreŋs MC: ʈiɛ mɣaŋ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPiLY 2.4: 50 years of age
    庚  gēng OC: kraaŋ MC: kɣaŋ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • nabfeaturepost-Han: age
    竹馬  zhú mǎ OC: tuɡ mraaʔ MC: ʈuk mɣɛ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • NPLATE: bamboo horse> the age of a child when it plays with a bamboo horse