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The ancients created a variety of terms for different ages, many of which are still in use today. Conducting in-depth research on it will help us learn ancient texts better and pass them on. 0 years: Childhood: refers to infants who are just learning to laugh and are still in their infancy. Swaddled infant: a baby who is under one year old. 2 years old: Childhood refers to infants who are just learning to laugh while still in their infancy. It is also written as “child-carrying bag” or “carrier for children”; in Han Yu’s poems there is a line that reads, “Each family has a child; the carriers for these children are very skillful.” Childhood: refers to children aged 2–3 years old. At the age of 8, ancient children would tie their hair into two knots at the top of their heads; the shape of these knots resembled horns, which is why the term “total corners” was used to refer to young children. In ancient times, children would divide their hair into two halves and tie each half into a knot at the top of their head, giving it the appearance of two goat horns; hence the name “total corners”. Teeth eruption in childhood: “Teeth eruption” – according to the “Shuowen Jiezi”, it refers to the appearance of teeth in boys at the age of eight ； There is a saying that girls start teething in July and lose their baby teeth at the age of seven. It can be seen that when a child’s milk teeth fall out and permanent teeth grow in, it is called “shedding of milk teeth”. ““Tongzi” usually refers to a person’s childhood and adolescence. It is also referred to as “tao chi,” as seen in the \"Biography of Dong Zhuo\" in the \"History of the Later Han Dynasty\": \"Even though his descendants were still children, the boys were all granted titles of marquess, while the girls became lords of their own territories.\" ” 9 years old: Nine years of age means 9 years old. 13 years old, Doukou: refers to a girl at the age of thirteen. \"Doukou\" refers to the age range of 13 or 14 to 15 or 16 years old (Doukou is a plant that blooms in early summer; early summer is not yet full summer, and this is used as a metaphor for someone who is not yet an adult. Hence, the period of adolescence is called \"the Doukou years\"). Thirteen: For 13 years old. At 15, one reaches the age of wearing a hairpin: A hairpin was originally a pin used in ancient times to hold back hair. In ancient times, girls would usually tie up their hair and secure it with pins once they reached the age of 15, as a sign that they had come of age. “\"Jiji\" refers to a girl who has reached the age of 15. Reaching puberty: refers to a girl reaching the age of 15. Tying up hair: It refers to the act of bundling and tying one’s hair. In ancient times, men would tie up their hair and wear a crown at the age of 20, while women would do the same at the age of 15, as a sign of reaching adulthood. The symbols of adulthood for men and women are respectively “putting on a crown” and “putting on a hairpin”. The age for starting school is 15. The age for pursuing knowledge: Because \"one should be established in life at thirty, and free from confusion by forty.\" ”(Kongzi said, “At fifteen, I set my heart on learning; at thirty, I was established in my career; at forty, I was free from doubts; at fifty, I understood the will of heaven; at sixty, I could listen to others with an open mind; at seventy, I could follow my heart’s desires.”) ——(The Analects of Confucius, On Governance), which is why later generations referred to the age of 15 as the \"year of aspiring to learn\". Hair tying: In ancient times, the age of 15 was considered the age of maturity, and people would tie their hair together and coil it on top of their heads. Tying up hair is a practice for boys at the age of fifteen (at this age, boys must untie their previous hair ties and tie their hair into a bun). 16 years old, 28: Represents 16 years of age. 20 years old, reaching adulthood: refers to the age of 20. In ancient times, men would undergo a capping ceremony at the age of 20 to signify that they had reached adulthood. Coming of age: refers to a man reaching the age of 20 (also known as “ruo guan”). Tying up hair: It refers to the act of bundling and tying one’s hair. In ancient times, men would tie up their hair and wear a crown at the age of 20, while women would do the same at the age of 15, as a sign of reaching adulthood. The symbols of adulthood for men and women are respectively “putting on a crown” and “putting on a hairpin”. Weak age: In ancient times, people would undergo a ceremony to mark reaching adulthood at the age of 20; yet since their bodies were not yet strong, it was called “weak age”. Refers to having just reached adulthood. It refers to twenty years old. Weak age: In ancient times, a man who was 20 years old was called “weak”; at that age he would undergo the “crowning ceremony”, during which he wore a hat to signify that he had become an adult. “A man who has reached the age of 20 is called a “weak-jia”. In later times, it generally refers to the age of around twenty for men. The age of twenty is considered the beginning of manhood; 30 is the age when one reaches maturity (the year of maturity): as it is said, \"One becomes mature at thirty, and free from confusion at forty.\" ”(Kongzi said, “At fifteen, I set my heart on learning; at thirty, I was established in my career; at forty, I was free from doubts; at fifty, I understood the will of heaven; at sixty, I could listen to others with an open mind; at seventy, I could follow my heart’s desires.”) ——(The Analects of Confucius, Wei Zheng), which is why later generations referred to the age of 30 as the \"year of achieving maturity\". The age of 30: refers to being thirty years old. The age of 30 is referred to as \"Erli\" for men (\"Erli\" means \"to establish oneself and set one’s aspirations\"). Initial chamber: Thirty years old. The Book of Rites, Inner Rules: “At thirty, one should have a household and begin to handle men’s affairs.” 40 years old: The age of clarity (the year when one is free from confusion). Because \"one becomes established at thirty, and free from confusion at forty.\" ”(Confucius said, “At fifteen, I set my heart on learning; at thirty, I was established in my career; at forty, I was free from doubts; at fifty, I understood the will of Heaven; at sixty, I could listen to others with an open mind; at seventy, I could follow my heart’s desires without overstepping the bounds.”) ”——(The Analects of Confucius, On Governance), which is why later generations referred to the age of 40 as the “year of no doubts.” The age of forty: refers to the age of 40. Buhuo refers to a man being forty years old (Buhuo means “free from confusion and bewilderment”). 50 years old: Ai: In ancient times, people who were 50 years old were called “Ai”. The Book of Rites, Qu Li I states: “At fifty, one is called Ai.” ”Ai is called old. Fifty years old – the age when one understands one’s destiny; this term refers to the age of fifty (also known as “the age when one understands heaven’s will” or “half a hundred”). Knowing one’s fate: It refers to a man reaching the age of fifty (\"knowing one’s fate\" means \"understanding one’s destiny\"). ““Zhi Ming” is an abbreviation for “Zhi Tian Ming”. Understanding one’s destiny: Confucius said, “At fifteen, I set my heart on learning; at thirty, I was established in my role; at forty, I was free from confusion; at fifty, I understood my destiny; at sixty, I could listen to others with patience; at seventy, I could follow my heart’s desires.” ——(The Analects of Confucius, On Governance), which is why later generations referred to the age of 50 as the \"year of understanding one’s destiny\". The age of understanding one’s destiny: because \"at thirty one becomes established, and at forty one is free from confusion.\" ”(Kongzi said, “At fifteen, I set my heart on learning; at thirty, I was established in my career; at forty, I was free from doubts; at fifty, I understood the will of heaven; at sixty, I could listen to others with an open mind; at seventy, I could follow my heart’s desires.”) ——(The Analects of Confucius, On Governance), which is why later generations referred to the age of 50 as the \"year of understanding one’s destiny\". The age of understanding one’s fate: refers to the age of fifty (also known as “understanding heaven’s will” or “half a hundred”). 54 years old, 69: that is, fifty-four years old. 60 years old: Ear Compliance Age, Year of Ear Compliance, Year of Repeating the Cycle, and Age of Sixty – all refer to 60 years old. Because \"at thirty one becomes established, and at forty one is free from confusion.\" ”(Kongzi said, “At fifteen, I set my heart on learning; at thirty, I was established in my career; at forty, I was free from doubts; at fifty, I understood the will of heaven; at sixty, I could listen to others with an open mind; at seventy, I could follow my heart’s desires.”) ——(The Analects of Confucius, On Governance), which is why later generations referred to the age of 60 as the \"year of earliness.\" Advanced age: a polite term used to refer to the age of the elderly, usually meaning over sixty years old. Huajia: The Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches are used together to mark years; starting from Jia, a cycle of sixty years is formed, which is why the age of sixty is called Huajia. Sixty: In ancient China, the sexagenary cycle was used to mark time. The so-called Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches are abbreviations for the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches system. There are ten Heavenly Stems and twelve Earthly Branches. The ten Heavenly Stems and the twelve Earthly Branches combine in sequence to form sixty units, which are commonly referred to as the \"Sixty Jiazi\", or also known as \"Hua Jia\". Applying this term for measuring time to a person’s age, “reaching the age of 60” or “the age of 60” is used to refer to someone who is 60 years old. Sixty: Refers to the age of 60; in the traditional Chinese calendar system, the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches are combined in various ways, with a cycle of 60 years repeating itself. The age of 60: refers to being 60 years old. Year of returning to one’s birth year: refers to the age of 60. Lower lifespan: In ancient times, 60 was considered the lower limit of a lifespan; lower lifespan refers to those over 60 years old. Qi: In ancient times, a person who was sixty years old was referred to as “Qi”. Elders: In ancient times, those who were 60 years old were considered elders. 61 years old – Rebirth birthday: The birthday celebration for those who are 61 years old. Under the sexagenary cycle system, a cycle lasts 60 years, and at the age of 61, a new cycle begins, which is why it is called “returning to the original cycle”. 70: The age of the heart – because \"one becomes established at thirty, and free from confusion at forty.\" ”(Kongzi said, “At fifteen, I set my heart on learning; at thirty, I was established in my career; at forty, I was free from doubts; at fifty, I understood the will of heaven; at sixty, I could listen to others with an open mind; at seventy, I could follow my heart’s desires.”) ——(From The Analects, ‘Governance’), which is why later generations referred to the age of 70 as the \"year of following one’s heart\". Seventy: In ancient times, it was quite remarkable for a person to live to the age of 70. Du Fu wrote in a poem: “Debts from wine are common everywhere; yet those who live to seventy are rare throughout history.” ”Later generations have often relied on this poem to refer to the age of 70 as the \"age of seventy.\" Seventieth birthday: refers to the celebration of reaching 70 years of age. It originates from Du Fu’s line that \"Seventy years is a rare age in history.\" The age of 70, the age when one stops driving, and the age when one uses a walking stick: all refer to 70 years old. De: An age of seventy or eighty years; generally refers to old age. For example: in one’s old age. The age of a walking stick: refers to 70 years old. Medium lifespan: Seventy is considered a medium lifespan. The year of hanging the carriage: refers to the age of 70. 77 years old – An age marked by joy: It refers to 77 years old; the character for \"joy\" written in cursive resembles the number 77, which is why it is used to denote 77 years old. 80 years old: referred to as the age of Chao Mei, the age of Chao Zhi, or the age of Maodie – all terms meaning eighty or ninety years old. Mao: Refers to an age of eighty or ninety years, and is used in general to denote old age; for example, lao mao, mao die nian. Advanced old age: The term “mao” is mentioned in “Yan Tie Lun·Xiao Yang,” where it is said: “Seventy is called mao.” ”The Book of Rites, Chapters on Etiquette states: “Eighty and ninety are called ‘die’.” ”Dié, as explained in the annotations to Erya·Shiyan: “Eighty is called dié.” ”Combining the above expressions, we can see that “mao die” refers to a long life, roughly corresponding to the age of seventy or eighty. Advanced age: refers generally to old age. Mao refers to an age of eighty or ninety years. Mao refers to an age of seventy or eighty years. Mao and die refer to people in their eighties or nineties. Mao Chuan also says: “Die is old age; eighty is called die.” ”Later generations came to refer to people in their eighties and nineties as “mao die”. Advanced age: refers to people in their eighties or nineties. Ninety years old can also be considered an advanced age. Middle-old age: refers to those over 80 years old. An umbrella birthday refers to the 80th birthday. Since the cursive form of the character for \"umbrella\" resembles the number \"80\", it is called \"umbrella longevity\". 88 years old, Mi-ju: refers to the age of 88. Since it resembles the number 88 when broken into its components, it is used to refer to the age of 88. Furthermore, it also implies a strong appetite despite an advanced age. 90 years old: A long life – 90 is considered a very long lifespan. 99 years old: A long life; it refers to the age of 99. Since 100 minus 1 is 99, this term is used to denote 99 years old. 100 years old: Qiyi refers to an age of 100 years. Centenary age: According to Zhu Xi, “qi” means “completing a cycle,” that is, going through one full cycle; it refers to the completion of 100 years. Yi, according to Zhu Xi, means “it is simply a matter of providing nourishment”. That is, the poet takes care of daily life. A person who reaches the age of 100 is referred to as someone who has reached the age of qiyi. The age of 100 is referred to as qiyi. “\"Qiyi\" is a term specifically used to refer to an age of \"100 years\" in human life. The Book of Rites, Qu Li I states: “A hundred years is called qi yi.” ”Zheng Xuan’s annotation: “Qi means ‘essential’ as well.” ； Yi means to nurture. One need not know the taste of food or clothing; a filial son should merely fulfill his duty of support. ”It means that when a person reaches 100 years old, they need the care of their filial children in terms of food, shelter, and other aspects related to animals; hence, 100 years is referred to as “qi yi”. The age of 100: refers to being a hundred years old. 108 years old: Tea longevity refers to 108 years of age. Above the character for tea is 20, and below it is 88; adding these two numbers gives 108 years. Other terms for children include: tongru: children. Chuítiáo: refers to children. Children’s hanging hair is called a bun. Childhood hair: “Tiao” refers to the short hair that hangs naturally on an ancient child’s head before their hair is tied back. Thus, “chuítiáo” is used to refer to young children or the childhood stage of a person. Some also use the term “hangging hair,” with the same meaning; for example, in the \"Biography of Lü Qiang\" in the \"History of the Later Han Dynasty,\" there is a sentence that reads \"Wearing military attire with hangging hair, achieving success by old age.\" Chuítiáo: Children whose hair is tied up and hangs down, referring to early childhood. Chuítiáo: refers to young children (also known as “zǒng jiǎo”). A child in the age group of three or four to eight or nine years old is referred to as a \"chui tiao\" (\"tiao\" refers to the short hair that hung down from a child’s head in ancient times). Qiong: Tooth replacement in children. Childhood: Early years of life. Childhood: The years of early life. Childhood: the age of childhood. Young: Those of a young age are referred to as young. Others referred to as adults include: Crowned ones: referring to adults. Other terms for the elderly include: Bai Bai: old person. Elderly people have gray hair, which is used as a symbol for them. Yellow hair: Refers to the elderly, whose hair changes from white to yellow. ““Yellow hair” refers to hair that is dull and yellow in color. As people age, their hair changes from black to white, and the white hair turns yellow. Hao shou: White hair, referring to old age. Longevity: A long life. Long life: an extremely long lifespan, a sign of longevity. As people age, their eyebrows grow longer, which is why it is called \"eyebrow longevity.\" Elderly woman: An old woman. Late years: old age, the final stages of life. Warm birthday celebration: According to an old custom, on the day before one’s birthday, family members and close relatives and friends would come to wish them a happy birthday. Wanshou: Refers to a long life, an extremely long lifespan. Long life: refers to a person living to an advanced age.