Chinese calendar: Meaning and Definition of

Chi'nese cal'endar

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. the former calendar of China, in which the year consisted of 12 lunar months with an intercalary month added seven times every 19 years to reconcile the lunar year of 354 days with the solar year of 365 days, time being reckoned in 60-year cycles with the first cycle dating from 2637 b.c.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.