Summary of this article：Procuring shoes from China's Taobao, 1688, AliExpress, and wholesale suppliers never bothers anyone until you hit sizing. Apparently “Chinese shoe sizes” could mean two different things: 1.The length of the foot in millimeters (most common): e.g., 240 / 245 / 250 2.The EU shoe sizes: e.g., 39 / 40 / 41 (also common in China) This guide will help teach you about the safest potential ways by which you can convert Chinese sizes to US sizes using foot lengths, plus conversion charts you can copy and use.
What Are Chinese Shoe Sizes Like?
A、 CN size = foot length (mm)
You’ll often see sizes like:
● 230 = 23.0 cm ( length of the foot )
● 245 = 24.5 cm (length of the foot)
● 270 = 27.0 cm (length of the foot)
This is the most realistic sizing format because it is based on foot measurement and not brand sizing.
B、 “China size” shown as EU size
Many sellers showcase EU sizes as (39–46 etc.) even if they call it “CN size.”
Therefore you need to always check whether the sizes look like 240 (mm) or 40 (EU).
The Best Method: Measure Your Foot Length
Practice these steps once and you’ll never guess again.
How to measure foot lengths in 2 minutes:
1. Place a piece of paper on the floor against a wall.
2. Stand and let your heel touch the wall.
3. Mark the area occupied by your feet starting from the longest toe point.
4. Measure from heel-to-longest toe point in cm.
5. Carefully measure both feet and use the longer foot measurement to get your size.
Sizing tip:
● If you’re between sizes or buying boots/sneakers, add 0.5 cm for comfort.
The Chinese (mm) To The US Shoe Size Conversion Chart
The “CN sizes” below refer to foot lengths in mm.
Women: CN (mm) → US (Women)
| Foot length (cm) | CN (mm) | US Women |
| 22.0 | 220 | 5 |
| 22.5 | 225 | 5.5 |
| 23.0 | 230 | 6 |
| 23.5 | 235 | 6.5 |
| 24.0 | 240 | 7 |
| 24.5 | 245 | 7.5 |
| 25.0 | 250 | 8 |
| 25.5 | 255 | 8.5 |
| 26.0 | 260 | 9 |
| 26.5 | 265 | 9.5 |
| 27.0 | 270 | 10 |
| 27.5 | 275 | 10.5 |
| 28.0 | 280 | 11 |
Men: CN (mm) → US (Men)
| Foot length (cm) | CN (mm) | US Men |
| 24.0 | 240 | 6 |
| 24.5 | 245 | 6.5 |
| 25.0 | 250 | 7 |
| 25.5 | 255 | 7.5 |
| 26.0 | 260 | 8 |
| 26.5 | 265 | 8.5 |
| 27.0 | 270 | 9 |
| 27.5 | 275 | 9.5 |
| 28.0 | 280 | 10 |
| 28.5 | 285 | 10.5 |
| 29.0 | 290 | 11 |
| 29.5 | 295 | 11.5 |
| 30.0 | 300 | 12 |
Note: These are World Verified Approximations. Always placing customer satisfaction above all else will make buyers see the need for having a mastery of the seller’s foot-length chart provided in this seller's guide.
EU Size To US Size (Commonly Seen On Chinese Listings)
Should the seller make use of size tags such as 39/40/41, then that would be the EU sizing measuring system.
A Quick EU → US Reference Chart.
| EU | US Men | US Women |
| 39 | 6.5 | 8.5 |
| 40 | 7.5 | 9 |
| 41 | 8 | 10 |
| 42 | 9 | 11 |
| 43 | 9.5–10 | 12 |
| 44 | 10.5 | 13 |
| 45 | 11.5 | 14 |
| 46 | 12 | 15 |
Note: EU sizing could vary as you move from purchasing one brand to purchasing another brand, so in order to get the perfect foot length, making use of the foot length (mm/cm) chart will still be a safer choice.
Kids: CN (mm) to US Kids Size (Approx.)
Kid sizes vary a lot by brand, so even when kids are concerned, foot length measurement still works best. So please kindly preserve the Kid's foot length chart provided below for moments when it shall come in handy.
| Foot length (cm) | CN (mm) | US Kids (approx.) |
| 16.5 | 165 | 10C |
| 17.5 | 175 | 11C |
| 18.5 | 185 | 12C |
| 19.5 | 195 | 13C |
| 20.0 | 200 | 1Y |
| 21.0 | 210 | 2Y |
| 22.0 | 220 | 3Y |
For kids, I equally highly recommend purchasing from merchants that show insole length or inner length, not only foot length.
Costly Mistakes Which Occur When Dealing In Shoe Vending And How To Avoid Them.
Mistake 1: Treating “CN sizes” as “US sizes”
A “42” on a China listing is usually EU 42, not US 42.
Mistake 2: Ignoring The Width
Most shoes made in China have this characteristic of being made narrower than usual. If your customer happens to have wider feet, these are some steps you could follow:
● Pick a larger size for your customer.
● You could equally go in for shoe options which permit you pick styles with adjustable fittings like (laces/straps).
● Also, you could go in for shoes with reviews which make use of the word “wide” to a large extent.
Mistake 3: Making Use Of Strictly US Sizes Without Checking The Chart
To a larger extent, always depend on foot lengths (mm/cm) or insole lengths for making shoe choices. Never solely make choices based off of US sizes.
Mistake 4: Never Accounting For Shoe Types
● Dress shoes: Could feel tighter → consider adding an extra +0.5 cm to the (cm) foot length measurement.
● Boots: Boots often require socks + structure → consider adding an extra +0.5 cm to the (cm) foot length measurement.
● Sandals: The sandal shoe categories are often closer to the true foot length, so they often donot require excess measurement.
The Best “Conversion Rules” When Shopping For Shoes In China.
Whenever you are faced with a Chinese listing:
1. Firstly, search for the size chart.
2. Secondly, identify whether it uses foot lengths or insole lengths.
3. Thirdly, find your measurement on the size chart (and do well to add a 0.5 cm to the current measurement if you want more room).
4. Only then can you convert to US sizes for your own personal references.
FAQ
Are Chinese Shoe Sizes The Same As EU Sizes?
Most times, many Chinese shoe sellers list EU sizes but many also list sizes by foot length (mm). Please always check which format they use and do your personal conversions to get the perfect size for you.
What if the seller only lists “39/40/41” with no chart?
Request for the foot length (cm/mm) recommendation or simply avoid the listings if returns may seem difficult or shaky.
What’s better: Foot Length or Insole Length?
Insole lengths could often come in handy but it’s measurements are not always accurate or consistent. Foot length is the most reliable baseline—ideally you can compare both if available.
