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How to use the size chart tool
- Find the seller’s chart. On the LitBuy product page, look for the size chart image (尺码表). Note which columns it has, such as 衣长 (length) and 胸围 (chest), and whether it says 平铺 (measured flat).
- Enter or paste it. Tick the columns the chart has, then type the numbers for each size, or paste the table if you can copy it as text. Tell the tool whether chest and waist are flat or all the way round.
- Measure something you own. Lay a similar garment that fits you well on a flat surface and measure the same things. Body measurements work too, but only as an estimate.
- Read the result, not just the letter. Check the reasons, any warnings and the comparison table. When your QC photos arrive, check the measurements again before you accept the item.
Garment or body measurements: which to use
Most Chinese size charts measure the garment: a T-shirt with a 胸围 of 108 cm is 108 cm around, not made for a 108 cm chest. Garments are cut bigger than the body so you can move, and how much bigger depends on the style.
A garment you own
Compares like with like. A tee you love that measures 54 cm pit to pit tells you exactly which size gives the same fit.
Your body
The tool adds “ease”, a rule-of-thumb allowance for movement, to your chest, waist or hip. It shows the ease it used. Lengths and shoulders can’t be estimated this way.
Some charts list body measurements or a recommended height and weight (身高, 体重). Those are compared directly with your body. The tool never compares body numbers with garment numbers without saying so.
Chinese size chart terms, translated
The words you’ll see on Taobao, Weidian and 1688 size charts, what they mean, and how they’re measured.
| Chinese | English | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 尺码 / 码数 | Size | The size label column (S, M, L, or 号型 such as 170/88A). |
| 衣长 | Body length | Top of the shoulder, next to the collar, down to the hem. |
| 胸围 | Chest (circumference) | On garment charts this is usually the full circumference: the flat width doubled. |
| 胸宽 | Chest width (pit to pit) | Measured flat, armpit to armpit. Double it to compare with 胸围. |
| 肩宽 | Shoulder width | Shoulder seam to shoulder seam. Very wide values usually mean a dropped shoulder. |
| 袖长 | Sleeve length | Usually shoulder seam to cuff. Some sellers measure from the collar: check the diagram. |
| 袖肥 | Sleeve width (bicep) | Across the upper sleeve, laid flat. |
| 下摆 | Hem width | Across the bottom edge of a top. |
| 领围 | Neck (collar) circumference | Mostly used for shirts. |
| 腰围 | Waist | Garment charts: the waistband, often doubled to a circumference. Elastic waists may show a range. |
| 臀围 | Hip | Widest part of the seat. |
| 大腿围 / 腿围 | Thigh | Around the thigh, just below the crotch. |
| 裤长 | Trouser length (outseam) | Top of the waistband down the outside of the leg to the hem. |
| 内长 / 内裆长 | Inseam (on trousers) or insole length (on shoes) | Same word, two meanings: check whether the chart is for trousers or shoes. |
| 前裆 / 直裆 | Front rise | Crotch seam to the top of the waistband at the front. |
| 脚口 / 裤脚 | Leg opening | Across the bottom of the leg, usually measured flat. |
| 裙长 | Skirt or dress length | Waist or shoulder down to the hem, depending on the garment. |
| 脚长 | Foot length | Your foot, heel to longest toe, often in millimetres (250 = 25.0 cm). |
| 鞋内长 | Insole length | Inside the shoe. Usually about 1 to 1.5 cm longer than the foot it fits. |
| 身高 | Height | Recommended height range for the size. |
| 体重 | Weight | Recommended weight, often in 斤 (jin): 1 斤 = 0.5 kg, so 120 斤 = 60 kg. |
| 斤 | Jin (weight unit) | Exactly 0.5 kg in mainland China. |
| 平铺测量 | Measured laid flat | The garment was measured flat. Widths are half the circumference. |
| 误差 | Tolerance | “1–3cm 误差” means real items may differ from the chart by 1–3 cm. |
| 均码 | One size | Only one size is made. Check the measurements still fit you. |
| 偏大 / 偏小 | Runs large / runs small | The seller’s own note on fit. |
| 宽松 / 修身 | Loose fit / slim fit | Describes the intended fit, which tells you how much room is built in. |
| 建议 | Recommended | For example 建议身高 = recommended height. |
For more buying vocabulary, see the LitBuy glossary.
What 170/88A means on a Chinese size label
Many Chinese garments carry a label in the national 号型 format (standard GB/T 1335) next to, or instead of, S, M or L. It describes the wearer, not the garment:
- The first number (号) is height in centimetres.
- The second number (型) is the body’s chest girth on tops, or waist girth on trousers and skirts, in centimetres.
- The letter is the body type: how much smaller the waist is than the chest.
| Letter | Chest minus waist, men | Chest minus waist, women |
|---|---|---|
| Y (slim / athletic) | 17–22 cm | 19–24 cm |
| A (average) | 12–16 cm | 14–18 cm |
| B (fuller waist) | 7–11 cm | 9–13 cm |
| C (fullest waist) | 2–6 cm | 4–8 cm |
Sizes usually step by 5 cm of height and a few centimetres of girth, so one label covers measurements a little either side. Which letter size (S, M, L) goes with which 号型 varies by brand, so go by the measurements.
Unit converter: centimetres, inches and 斤
Chinese charts use centimetres (shoes often in millimetres) and give weight in 斤 (jin). One 斤 is exactly 0.5 kg, so “120斤” means 60 kg. One inch is 2.54 cm.
Check a QC measurement against the chart
When LitBuy’s QC photos show a tape measure, compare that number with the chart value for the size you ordered. This uses the rule of thumb from our QC size decision checklist.
How the tool decides
No black box. Here is exactly how a size is chosen, so you can judge the result yourself.
1. Everything is converted to the same units
Inches become centimetres, 斤 and pounds become kilograms, and flat widths are doubled to full circumferences, for the chart and for you.
2. Each measurement gets a tolerance
A difference within the tolerance counts as a match. If the seller states a bigger tolerance (误差), the tool uses that.
| Measurement | Tolerance |
|---|---|
| Chest | ± 2 cm |
| Waist | ± 2 cm |
| Hip | ± 2.5 cm |
| Length | ± 2 cm |
| Shoulder width | ± 1.5 cm |
| Sleeve length | ± 2 cm |
| Inseam | ± 2 cm |
| Foot length | ± 0.5 cm |
| Height | ± 3 cm |
| Weight | ± 2.5 kg |
3. Body measurements get ease (estimates only)
To compare your body with a garment chart, the tool adds this allowance to your measurement. These are rules of thumb, not seller data, and the result always lists the ease it used.
| Measurement | Slim | Regular | Relaxed | Oversized |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chest | +6 cm | +10 cm | +16 cm | +24 cm |
| Waist | +0 cm | +2 cm | +4 cm | +6 cm |
| Hip | +3 cm | +6 cm | +10 cm | +14 cm |
| Thigh | +3 cm | +6 cm | +10 cm | +14 cm |
| Foot to insole | +0.7 cm | +1 cm | +1.5 cm | +1.5 cm |
Dresses use a little more ease at the waist than trousers. Lengths and shoulder widths are never estimated from the body.
4. Sizes are scored and explained
- Every size is scored on how far each measurement is from your target, weighted by importance: chest first for tops, waist first for trousers, foot length for shoes. Being too small counts more than being too big, because you can’t wear something too tight.
- High confidence: direct comparison, at least two key measurements, all within tolerance, and the next size clearly further away.
- Medium: a good match with a catch, such as an estimate from body measurements, only one measurement, or a close second size.
- Low: outside the chart’s range, or only height and weight to go on.
- No recommendation: nothing to compare. The tool says what’s missing instead of guessing.
LitBuy size chart FAQ
Does LitBuy have its own size chart?
No single LitBuy size chart covers everything. Each product page shows the seller’s own chart, usually an image copied from Taobao or Weidian, and every seller cuts differently. That’s why this tool works from the chart on the listing you are looking at.
What does 平铺测量 mean on a size chart?
“Measured laid flat.” The garment was laid on a table and measured edge to edge, so widths such as chest or waist are half the full circumference. Choose “Measured flat” in the tool and it doubles them for you.
Should I size up when buying Chinese clothing?
There’s no rule that always works. Many sellers’ sizes come up smaller than European or US labels, but plenty don’t. Compare the chart’s centimetres with a garment you own instead of going by the letter.
How accurate is the recommendation?
It can only be as good as the chart and your measurements. Hand-measured charts often allow 1 to 3 cm of difference (误差). Comparing with a garment you own is the most reliable method; body measurements give an estimate. Every result shows a confidence level and the reasons behind it.
Why does the tool say “not enough data”?
Because it won’t guess. It needs at least one measurement that both the chart and you have, for example chest on both. Lengths and shoulders can’t be worked out from body measurements, so for those, measure a garment you own.
Is anything I type saved?
No. The tool runs in your browser. Your measurements and the charts you type aren’t stored or sent anywhere, and they’re gone when you close the page.
How do I pick a shoe size from a Chinese chart?
Measure your foot from heel to longest toe and compare it with the chart’s 脚长 (foot length). If the chart lists 内长 (insole length) instead, the insole should be longer than your foot; the tool adds about 1 cm for a regular fit and tells you it did.