Where the size chart sits and what it is called
On Taobao, Weidian and 1688 the size table is usually an image in the description, sometimes plain text, headed 尺码表 (size table) or 尺寸表. LitBuy's product page shows the style and size options, but the numbers behind them live in the seller's description, so scroll down. The unit is almost always centimetres. If the table is a picture, save it and read it beside your own measurements. This is the step that saves returns, because LitBuy's checks do not cover size error. The row check guide lists it as check four.
Find the 尺码表 first; the product title will not tell you the fit.
The columns, decoded
| Chinese | Meaning | Usually measured | How to compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| 胸围 | Chest | Flat, under the arms | Double it, then compare with your chest plus ease |
| 衣长 | Garment length | Back neck to hem | Match to a top you own |
| 肩宽 | Shoulder width | Seam to seam | Compare directly |
| 袖长 | Sleeve length | Shoulder seam to cuff | Compare directly |
| 腰围 | Waist | Flat or around | Double if flat |
| 臀围 | Hip | Flat or around | Double if flat |
| 内长 | Inseam | Crotch to hem | Match to trousers you own |
| 码 / mm | Shoe size / foot length | Insole or foot in mm | 260 means 26.0 cm |
Trouser tables also give 裤长 (full length) and 脚口 (leg opening). Old tables use the chi (市尺): 1 chi is 33.33 cm, so a "2.2 chi" waist is about 73 cm. Download the size chart CSV to keep this glossary at hand.
Learn these eight terms and you can read most tables.
Flat versus body numbers
A garment table measures the garment lying flat, so a flat chest of 56 cm is 112 cm around. A body table measures a person. Many sellers do not say which they are giving. If chest and waist numbers look half of what you expect, they are flat; double them. A reading of 100 cm for a chest on a garment table is probably already doubled or an oversized fit. Check the length and shoulder numbers against a garment you know: if they agree, trust the table.
Half your expected number means flat; double it.
Labels like 175/92A
Chinese garment tags can read 175/92A: height 175 cm, chest 92 cm, plus a letter for build, with A as the usual middle type as a rule of thumb. The pair works like a size and a fit in one. To use it, match the height number first, then the chest. Trouser tags work the same way, with height and waist. The size converter decodes tags and shoe sizes.
Worked example: turning a body chest into a flat chest to look for
Body chest (your tape measure)100 cm
Ease, rule of thumb 4 to 8 cm: garment chest 104 to 108 cm+4 to +8 cm
Divide by 2 for a flat table (104 ÷ 2 and 108 ÷ 2)52 to 54 cm
Row to pick in a flat chest column52 to 54 cm
Tag first for height, chest for the final call.
Shoes in mm and kids by height
Shoe tables use a code size (码) or the foot length in mm, so 260 is 26.0 cm. Compare the insole length in the table with a shoe that fits you, then convert with the converter. For sole types and the ¥7 video that footwear can get, read the shoes page. For children, Chinese sizes are named by height in cm, such as 110, 120 and 130, rather than age. The kids page explains growth room. Measure the child's height and chest and use the next height up if the chest sits between two sizes.
Foot length in mm, child height in cm: both are plain numbers.
Confirm with the QC photos
The table is a promise from the seller. When the item reaches LitBuy's warehouse, ask for an extra ¥1 photo with the garment laid flat beside a ruler (the QC photos guide shows what to measure), then compare to your target numbers. If the chest is more than about 2 cm off the table (a rule of thumb), decide inside the 120-hour window. Not signed up with LitBuy? The WhatsApp QR on the contact page lets you send a row and get a quote with delivery included, pictures ahead of dispatch and billing per order. For denim measurements cut by cut, see the jeans page.
A ruler photo beats a guess every time.
FAQ
Why do Chinese letter sizes not match European ones?
Often not. Chinese letters follow a different body model, and many sellers cut garments smaller or boxier than European labels. The only reliable figure is the measurement table in cm. Compare the listed chest and length with a garment you own, and pick by number. LitBuy does not cover size error in its checks, so the choice is yours.
What are the two numbers before the letter on a garment tag?
The first number is height in cm and the second is chest in cm, so 175/92A fits a person about 175 cm tall with a 92 cm chest. The letter describes build; A is the common middle type as a rule of thumb. Size on the chest number first, then check length against your height.
Are Chinese size chart numbers flat or around the body?
Both exist. Garment tables usually give flat-lay numbers, so a flat chest of 56 cm means 112 cm around. Body tables give measurements of the person. Look at the table heading: words such as 衣长 and 胸围 beside garment photos usually mean garment measures. When unsure, assume flat and double chest, waist and hip.
How do kids' sizes work on Chinese listings?
They are named by height in cm, such as 110, 120 or 130, not by age. A 120 suits a child about 120 cm tall. Age labels are unreliable, so measure the child's height and compare chest and length too. Some buyers choose the next height up for growth room, and LitBuy's return window of 120 hours after warehousing is short.
What does a number like 260 mean on a shoe listing?
It is usually the foot length in mm, so 260 means 26.0 cm. Some listings use a code size (码) in half sizes instead. Measure your foot or a shoe that fits, compare the sole or insole length in the table, and leave a little room for toes. The size converter on this site turns the numbers into EU, UK and US sizes.
How much ease should I add when comparing a flat measurement?
As a rule of thumb, leave 4 to 8 cm of ease over your body measure for a regular fit and more for an oversized look. A body chest of 100 cm points to a garment chest of 104 to 108 cm, or a flat 52 to 54 cm. A fitted knit may want less, a heavy hoodie more.