yánglì: 阳历 - Solar Calendar, Gregorian Calendar

• Keywords: 阳历, yangli, solar calendar in Chinese, Gregorian calendar, Western calendar, Chinese calendar system, 公历, what is yangli, difference between 阳历 and 农历, Chinese dates, nongli, yinli
• Summary: Learn about 阳历 (yánglì), the Chinese term for the solar or Gregorian calendar. This is the standard international calendar used in China for official business, public holidays like New Year's Day, and daily life. Discover how it coexists with the traditional lunar calendar (农历), how to use it in conversation, and its cultural significance in modern China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): yánglì
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: The solar calendar, which is the Gregorian calendar used internationally.
• In a Nutshell: 阳历 (yánglì) is the calendar you already know—January to December, 365 days a year. In China, it's used for all official and international matters, from work schedules to flight bookings. Its name literally means “sun calendar.” It's the “default” calendar in modern life, but it operates alongside the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, which is used for major cultural festivals like Chinese New Year.

• 阳 (yáng): This character means “sun.” It is also the “yang” in the concept of “yin and yang” (阴阳), representing light, masculinity, and the sun.
• 历 (lì): This character means “calendar” or “to experience.”
• Together, 阳历 (yánglì) literally translates to “sun calendar,” a perfect description for a calendar system based on the Earth's orbit around the sun.

The use of 阳历 in China is a story of modernization and cultural fusion. While the West primarily uses one calendar, modern Chinese life runs on a dual-calendar system. Historically, China exclusively used the lunar calendar, known as 农历 (nónglì), the “agricultural calendar,” or 阴历 (yīnlì), the “lunar calendar.” This calendar governs traditional holidays that are central to Chinese culture, such as the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) and the Mid-Autumn Festival. The 阳历 (Gregorian calendar) was officially adopted by China in 1912 after the fall of the last dynasty, as a step toward modernizing and aligning the nation with international standards. Today, the 阳历 is the official calendar for everything public and civic. Your official ID card birthday, school semesters, national holidays like National Day (October 1st), and business contracts all use the 阳历. The best comparison in Western culture isn't a calendar, but perhaps the coexistence of the metric and imperial systems in countries like the UK. One system (metric/阳历) is used for official and international purposes, while the other (imperial/农历) persists in certain cultural or traditional contexts. For Chinese people, navigating these two calendars is a normal part of life.

In daily conversation, 阳历 is the assumed standard unless a traditional context is implied.

• Official and Business Life: All work schedules, deadlines, government forms, and international business are conducted using 阳历 dates. When you say “May 20th,” everyone understands it as the Gregorian date.
• Birthdays: This is a key area of the dual system. Younger generations typically celebrate their 阳历 birthday. However, many older people, and even some younger people consulting traditional fortune-telling, will mark their birthday according to the lunar calendar (农历). It's common to ask which one a person prefers.
• Holidays: Public holidays are split. Holidays with fixed international dates like New Year's Day (元旦, January 1st) and International Workers' Day (劳动节, May 1st) are on the 阳历. Traditional festivals like the Dragon Boat Festival (端午节) are on the 农历, so their 阳历 date changes every year.

• Example 1:
  • 今天阳历几号？
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān yánglì jǐ hào?
  • English: What's the date on the solar calendar today?
  • Analysis: A very common and direct question. You can often drop 阳历 if the context is clear, but adding it removes any ambiguity.
• Example 2:
  • 我的身份证上是阳历生日。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de shēnfènzhèng shàng shì yánglì shēngrì.
  • English: The birthday on my ID card is my solar calendar birthday.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the official nature of the 阳历. All legal documents use it.
• Example 3:
  • 元旦是阳历新年，春节是农历新年。
  • Pinyin: Yuándàn shì yánglì xīnnián, Chūnjié shì nónglì xīnnián.
  • English: New Year's Day (Jan 1st) is the solar calendar new year, while the Spring Festival is the lunar calendar new year.
  • Analysis: This is a perfect sentence for directly contrasting the two calendar systems and their most important holidays.
• Example 4:
  • 这个会议的日期是按阳历算的。
  • Pinyin: Zhège huìyì de rìqī shì àn yánglì suàn de.
  • English: The date for this meeting is calculated according to the solar calendar.
  • Analysis: This clarifies that a schedule is following the standard international system, which is crucial in business.
• Example 5:
  • 你过阳历生日还是农历生日？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ guò yánglì shēngrì háishì nónglì shēngrì?
  • English: Do you celebrate your solar calendar birthday or your lunar calendar birthday?
  • Analysis: A friendly and common question, especially around someone's birthday. It shows cultural awareness.
• Example 6:
  • 虽然我奶奶只记她的农历生日，但我们也会帮她庆祝阳历生日。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán wǒ nǎinai zhǐ jì tā de nónglì shēngrì, dàn wǒmen yě huì bāng tā qìngzhù yánglì shēngrì.
  • English: Although my grandma only remembers her lunar birthday, we also help her celebrate her solar birthday.
  • Analysis: This illustrates the generational difference in how birthdays are often treated.
• Example 7:
  • 查一下今年中秋节的阳历日期是什么时候。
  • Pinyin: Chá yīxià jīnnián Zhōngqiūjié de yánglì rìqī shì shénme shíhòu.
  • English: Look up what the solar calendar date is for the Mid-Autumn Festival this year.
  • Analysis: This is a practical action people take all the time because traditional festival dates shift on the Gregorian calendar.
• Example 8:
  • 按照阳历，现在已经是夏天了。
  • Pinyin: Ànzhào yánglì, xiànzài yǐjīng shì xiàtiān le.
  • English: According to the solar calendar, it's already summer.
  • Analysis: This shows how seasons are typically aligned with the 阳历.
• Example 9:
  • 公历和阳历基本上是同一个意思。
  • Pinyin: Gōnglì hé yánglì jīběn shàng shì tóng yī ge yìsi.
  • English: “Gongli” and “Yangli” basically mean the same thing.
  • Analysis: A useful sentence for clarifying vocabulary with a native speaker.
• Example 10:
  • 所有国际航班的时刻表都使用阳历。
  • Pinyin: Suǒyǒu guójì hángbān de shíkèbiǎo dōu shǐyòng yánglì.
  • English: All international flight schedules use the solar calendar.
  • Analysis: Emphasizes the role of 阳历 as the global standard.

• Confusing 阳历 (yánglì) with 农历 (nónglì): This is the most common mistake. Remember: 阳 (yáng) = sun, so 阳历 is the solar calendar. 农 (nóng) = agriculture, so 农历 is the traditional agricultural (lunar) calendar. Never use 阳历 to refer to Chinese New Year.
• Incorrect Assumption: Don't assume all holidays are based on the 阳历. If it's a traditional Chinese festival (Dragon Boat, Mid-Autumn, Qingming), it's almost certainly on the 农历. If it's an international or modern political holiday (New Year's Day, National Day), it's on the 阳历.
• Synonym: 公历 (gōnglì): In many contexts, especially more formal or official ones, you will hear 公历 (gōnglì), which means “public calendar” or “common calendar.” For a learner, 阳历 and 公历 can be treated as interchangeable synonyms for the Gregorian calendar.

• 农历 (nónglì) - The lunar calendar. The direct counterpart to 阳历, used for traditional festivals.
• 公历 (gōnglì) - A common synonym for 阳历, meaning “public/common calendar.”
• 阴历 (yīnlì) - “Lunar calendar.” Another name for 农历. 阴 (yīn), meaning “moon/shade,” is the opposite of 阳 (yáng).
• 日历 (rìlì) - A calendar as an object (a wall calendar, a desk calendar, a calendar app).
• 日期 (rìqī) - The date (e.g., “What's the date today?”).
• 元旦 (Yuándàn) - New Year's Day (January 1st). The first major holiday of the 阳历.
• 春节 (Chūnjié) - The Spring Festival (Chinese New Year). The most important holiday of the 农历.
• 生日 (shēngrì) - Birthday. A concept that can be tied to either the 阳历 or the 农历.
• 节气 (jiéqì) - The 24 Solar Terms. A traditional system that divides the solar year into 24 periods based on the sun's position, used to guide agriculture. It's a fascinating link between the solar year and the traditional calendar.