Chinese Clothing and Shoe Size Guide: How to Pick the Right Size

Getting the size wrong is the most common mistake when buying from Chinese marketplaces. The good news is that it's easy to avoid once you stop relying on the letter on the label and start using measurements.

Why Chinese sizes run small

Sizes on Weidian and Taobao are usually cut for Asian body sizes, so an M is often closer to a Western S. Many sellers also use their own sizing, so an L from one store can be a completely different fit from an L in another.

As a rule of thumb, start one size up from what you'd wear in a Western brand, then check the measurements to confirm. For streetwear with an oversized or boxy fit, the seller's chart matters even more.

Read the seller's size chart

Almost every listing has a size chart, usually as an image near the end of the photos. Measurements are in centimetres and are usually taken with the garment laid flat. Common labels are:

• 衣长 (length): from the top of the shoulder to the hem
• 胸围 (chest): often the full circumference, so halve it to compare with a flat measurement
• 肩宽 (shoulder): shoulder seam to shoulder seam
• 袖长 (sleeve): shoulder seam to cuff
• 腰围 (waist) and 裤长 (pants length) for trousers
• 臀围 (hips) and 裤脚 (leg opening) on some charts

If the chart is a screenshot you can't read, your browser's image translation or a photo translation app can help.

Measure something you already own

This is the most reliable way to choose a size:

1. Pick a piece of clothing that fits the way you like.
2. Lay it flat and measure:
   • Chest: armpit to armpit, then double it if the chart lists the full chest
   • Length: top of the shoulder to the bottom hem
   • Shoulders and sleeves for shirts and jackets
   • Waist, inseam and leg opening for pants and jeans
3. Find the size on the seller's chart that's closest, allowing 1 to 2 cm of tolerance.

Sellers' measurements can be off by a centimetre or two, so if you're right between sizes, size up for a relaxed fit or down for a slim fit.

Shoe sizes

Shoe listings usually use EU sizes, sometimes with foot length in millimetres (for example 265 means a 26.5 cm foot). Here's a rough men's conversion based on major sneaker brands' charts:

• US 7 = EU 40 = 25 cm
• US 8 = EU 41 = 26 cm
• US 9 = EU 42.5 = 27 cm
• US 10 = EU 44 = 28 cm
• US 11 = EU 45 = 29 cm
• US 12 = EU 46 = 30 cm

Different brands and factories size differently, so:

• Measure your foot. Stand on a piece of paper, mark your heel and longest toe, and measure the distance in centimetres.
• Read the listing notes. Sellers often say whether a model runs small and whether to go half a size up.
• Check the QC photos. Ask for a photo of the size label when your pair reaches the warehouse. See What Are QC Photos?.

Women's sizing

The same advice applies: go by measurements, not labels. Many women's items on Chinese marketplaces are cut quite small, and some are one size ("均码"), which usually fits a Western XS to S.

If it's the wrong size

If you catch it in the QC photos while the item is still at the warehouse, you can usually exchange it for another size, paying only the domestic shipping. Once it has shipped internationally, it's too late. That's why checking measurements before you ship is worth the extra minute.

Shop by category

Once you know your size, browse the best sellers in each category:

• Shoes
• Hoodies
• T-shirts
• Jackets
• Jeans
• Pants

Or search all 80,000+ finds.