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China size converter
尺码 chǐmǎ · shoes and clothing
Buying shoes or clothes in China, or on Taobao? Convert by foot length and body measurements, which is how Chinese sizes are built, and decode labels like 170/88A.
Convert sizes
The answer
Chinese shoe sizes officially are your foot length in millimetres (a 250 mm foot is size 250), but shops usually label them like European sizes, worked out as foot length in cm × 2 − 10 (25 cm → 40). Clothes carry a height/chest code such as 170/88A; Chinese S, M and L are cut to those measurements and often run a size smaller than in the US.
Chinese shoe size chart
By foot length. Shop sizes follow cm × 2 − 10; US and UK sizes are approximate.
| Foot length | Chinese size | Shop size 码 | US men’s | US women’s | UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22.0 cm | 220 | 34 | 4.5 | 6 | 4 |
| 22.5 cm | 225 | 35 | 5 | 6.5 | 4.5 |
| 23.0 cm | 230 | 36 | 5.5 | 7 | 5 |
| 23.5 cm | 235 | 37 | 6 | 7.5 | 5.5 |
| 24.0 cm | 240 | 38 | 6.5 | 8 | 6 |
| 24.5 cm | 245 | 39 | 7 | 8.5 | 6.5 |
| 25.0 cm | 250 | 40 | 7.5 | 9 | 7 |
| 25.5 cm | 255 | 41 | 8 | 9.5 | 7.5 |
| 26.0 cm | 260 | 42 | 8.5 | 10 | 8 |
| 26.5 cm | 265 | 43 | 9 | 10.5 | 8.5 |
| 27.0 cm | 270 | 44 | 9.5 | 11 | 9 |
| 27.5 cm | 275 | 45 | 10 | 11.5 | 9.5 |
| 28.0 cm | 280 | 46 | 10.5 | 12 | 10 |
| 28.5 cm | 285 | 47 | 11 | 12.5 | 10.5 |
| 29.0 cm | 290 | 48 | 11.5 | 13 | 11 |
Chinese clothing sizes
Typical tags for the most common body shape, A. Chest and waist in cm. Always check the seller’s own measurements.
| Letter | Tag | Chest / bust | Waist |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | 165/84A | 82–86 | 71–76 |
| M | 170/88A | 86–90 | 76–81 |
| L | 175/92A | 90–94 | 81–86 |
| XL | 180/96A | 94–98 | 86–91 |
| XXL | 185/100A | 98–102 | 91–96 |
| 3XL | 190/104A | 102–106 | 96–101 |
| Letter | Tag | Chest / bust | Waist |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | 155/80A | 78–82 | 62–66 |
| M | 160/84A | 82–86 | 66–70 |
| L | 165/88A | 86–90 | 70–74 |
| XL | 170/92A | 90–94 | 74–78 |
| XXL | 175/96A | 94–98 | 78–82 |
How Chinese sizes are built
Chinese sizing starts from the body, not from a letter. Shoes follow foot length: the national standard GB/T 43293-2022, which replaced GB/T 3293.1 in May 2023, marks shoes with the foot length in millimetres. Most shops still show the European-style number as well.
Clothes follow GB/T 1335: the tag gives the height the garment is cut for, the chest or bust (tops) or waist (bottoms), and a letter for body shape, from Y (slim) through A and B to C (fullest). S, M and L are shorthand for a range of those codes, so a Chinese L can fit like a US M.
Questions readers ask
How do Chinese shoe sizes work?
The national standard, GB/T 43293-2022 (in force since May 2023), labels shoes by foot length in millimetres, such as 250. In shops and online most shoes also carry a European-style number. The rule of thumb is foot length in cm × 2 − 10, so 25 cm is size 40 and 26 cm is 42.
What is a Chinese size 40 shoe in US sizes?
Size 40 fits a foot of about 25 cm, which is roughly a US men’s 7.5 or a US women’s 9, and a UK 7. Brands differ, so measure your foot and compare it with the seller’s own chart.
What does 170/88A on a Chinese clothing label mean?
The first number is the wearer’s height in cm (170). The second is chest or bust in cm for tops (88), or waist for trousers and skirts. The letter is the body shape: Y slim, A average, B fuller and C fullest. A is the most common.
Are Chinese clothing sizes smaller than US sizes?
Often, yes. A Chinese men’s M is usually cut for about 170 cm and an 86–90 cm chest, smaller than a typical US M. Go by the height/chest code and the seller’s measurements rather than the letter.
How do I measure my foot?
Stand on a sheet of paper with your heel against a wall, mark the tip of your longest toe, and measure from the wall to the mark in centimetres. Measure both feet in the evening and use the longer one.
Related
Sources
- SGS, China updates footwear standard for shoe sizing (GB/T 43293-2022, foot length in mm) · accessed 28 Oct 2026
- Wikipedia, Clothing sizes (GB/T 1335.1 and 1335.2 size designation) · accessed 28 Oct 2026
- Daily Fulfill, Chinese clothing size charts (letter sizes and height/chest tags) · accessed 28 Oct 2026
Update log. 28 October 2026 — published. Next review due 26 January 2027. Suggest a correction
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