Chinese Shoe Size Vs. US Shoe Size – How Different Are They?

Chinese-made shoes are getting quite popular. Most of them have the excellent build quality, and they are pretty affordable as well.

We even considered getting a couple of them for our team. But as we only had an idea regarding US sizings, it was pretty impossible to make the right purchase at the first time.

Well, as you are reading this article, we believe you are struggling to determine the right size for your feet too.

Fret not because this article regarding Chinese shoe size vs. US shoe size will give you a clear idea regarding the sizing.

We will go through the differences and how each of the sizings compares to one another. And hopefully, by the end of the article, choosing a Chinese-made shoe that has Chinese standard sizing will be a piece of cake for you.

Understanding Chinese Sizes

We must admit that Chinese shoe sizes are pretty confusing. While the US numbers start from 5 and generally end at 10.5, the Chinese ones will begin from 34 and mostly end at 44. But what do these numbers mean?

Well, for the US sizes, the smallest one is 5. The length of the shoe is going to be 22 cm or 8.67 inches. And gradually, the length will increase with the increment of the number. So, 5.5 will be a bit larger than the 5, 6 will be larger than 5.5, and so on.

Talking of which, the difference of the length with each of the sizes will be 0.5 cm or 0.19 inches. That means a 5.5 shoe would be 0.5 cm or 0.19 longer than the 5. This is the pattern that is prevalent in the entire shoe chart.

The case is the same for the Chinese measurement chart too. As we have mentioned above, the chart starts from 34, which is the smallest one.

It will be 22 cm or 8.67 inches in length, and gradually, the length will increase with the increment of the sizing number.

The Units

Why should there be a different numbering system for other countries? Why cannot all the countries follow the same chart? Well, the unit system that the counties follow is not the same. While some will follow the SI unit, the USA follows the imperial system.

That is why people around here will use terms like pounds instead of KG, inches instead of cm, and feet instead of meter. And it is not for the units that we have mentioned here; the list goes on and on.

Considering that, while manufacturing the shoes, the label is different for each of them. For that reason, you will notice the Asian countries using higher numbers in the chart, while the US will stick to considerably small numbers.

How Do Chinese And US Shoe Sizes Compare?

With all things aside, let us now focus on the thing that you are mainly here for. Even though the sizes might seem all over the place for the US and China, they do have one thing in common. And that would be the overall length and width.

As we have mentioned above, the sizes start from 5 here, but in China, it starts from 34. And both the US 5 and China 34 are the same in measurement. In other words, if the US 5 shoe fits in your feet, the China 34 is going to have the exact fit too.

So, what does that mean? That means that the US 5 and China 34 are the same in length, 8.67 inches.

And the pattern is the same for the other numbers that are in the chart. US 5.5 will be China 35, 6 will be the same as 36, 7 will be 38, 8 will be 40, and so on.

How To Pick The Right Chinese Shoe Size?

Now that you have a clear idea regarding the Chinese and US shoe sizes, you might be asking yourself how you will choose the correct shoe measurement. Well, that is pretty easy. Yes, easy! Just follow these steps:

Step 1: Measure Your Feet

The number that the sizing chart states are based on the overall length of the feet. And the length is measured starting from the heel to the toe.

A good way of measuring your feet would be to put them on top of a piece of paper. Take a pen and outline your feet by keeping the pen close to your skin.

After that, you will eventually end up with a print of your feet on the paper. Then, take a scale or measuring tape.

Align the starting point to the very top of the toe region. Measure till the end of the heel. You will end up knowing the overall length of the feet.

Many of us will measure using the inches scale, but it would be good to use a centimeter scale. However, if you do not have a scale with centimeter labeling, you can always convert the numbers. Convert it from inches to centimeters and note it down.

Step 2: Compare the Length with a US Chart

This step will get pretty easy if you already know your shoe measurement in the US chart. You can easily check it on the pair that you are already wearing. It might be on the bottom of the sole. The number that it will state is the size.

However, if you do not know the exact sizing or if the pair that you are wearing does not offer a perfect fit, check the US chart. There, you need to match the length and find the corresponding size.

For example, if the overall length of your feet is from 23.1 cm to 23.5 cm, the size would be 5 for men and 7 for women.

And if it is from 24.6 cm to 25.5 cm, it will correspond to 7.5 for men and 9.5 for women. Note this number down and move along to the next step.

Step 3: Find Out the Corresponding Chinese Size

The Chinese sizing is the same for both men and women. And it will too depend on the length of the feet. Starting from the very bottom, if the size is 5 men or 7 women, it should correspond to Chinese size 35.

Likewise, there is a corresponding sizing number for each of the US men and women sizes. But if you cannot find the corresponding measurement in the chart, use the cm measurement.

As we have mentioned above, the sizes start from 35 for the Chinese chart. And it will correspond to a heel-to-toe length of 22.1 cm to 22.5 cm.

And for 36, it will be from 22.6 to 23. The difference from one number to another is 1.4 cm. Factor that in, and then find out the corresponding number and keep it in your mind.

Step 4: Make the Purchase

Once you have found the Chinese sizing for your shoe, all that is left for you to do now is to make a purchase. The vendors should offer you a size option where you will be capable of selecting the correct size. Choose that and wait for the pair to get delivered.

Can I Wear A Shoe That is Larger Than My Feet?

It is always recommended to choose the right size before buying a shoe. Without getting the right size, the fit will not be perfect. And if the fit is not perfect, it won’t be easy to walk by wearing the pair. Sometimes, it can become impossible as well.

Now, if the shoe size is larger than your feet, get ready to get some blisters. The large measurement will mean that the skin is going to face too much friction. And too much friction can cause blisters and bruises.

The same goes for the pairs that are smaller than the feet. Those can cause blisters as well.

How To Wear Shoes That Are Too Big?

To be on the safe side, many buyers opt for shoes that are a tad larger than their feet. But as you know by now, large shoes can cause blisters. And the ways to circumvent it are as follows:

Wear thick socks:

Thicker socks can lower the gap between the feet and the inside walls of the shoe. And eventually, there will be less amount of friction.

Stuff the toes:

It is possible to wear large shoes properly by stuffing the toe region with wadded-up materials. By wadded-up materials, we are basically referring to tissue paper and cotton.

Opt for an Insole:

Insoles can also lower the gap between the skin and the inside walls. And these can help you wear shoes that are a bit larger than your feet properly.

Final Words

There is really not much of a difference when it comes to Chinese shoe size vs. US shoe size.

One follows an imperial system, while the other follows a different unit. The starting numbers correspond to the same measurement, and the difference in terms of length per size is the same.