おいくつ
おいくつ
expression
how old?; how many? (polite)
1.
how old?; how many? (polite)
The polite form of いくつ, made with the honorific お-. Used to ask someone's age, or sometimes a quantity, courteously.
失礼ですが、おいくつですか。
Excuse me, but how old are you?
お子さんはおいくつですか。
How old is your child?
おいくつのときに日本へ来られたのですか。
At what age did you come to Japan?
The polite form of いくつ (how many / how old), made by adding the honorific お-. It is most often used to ask someone's age courteously.
USAGE:
- Because asking age directly can be sensitive, おいくつ softens the question.
- It can also politely ask a quantity, though this is less common.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- いくつ: how many / how old — the plain form
- 何歳: how old — direct and neutral, common with children or in casual speech