Word

年 (nián) — Chinese word meaning

HSK 1

Meaning of 年

名 míng noun

year

今年我二十岁。

jīn nián wǒ èr shí suì

I am twenty years old this year.

Word breakdown

年 nián — year

1 今年 jīn nián — this year HSK 1
- 今 present, current, this
- 年 year
Example

今年我二十岁。

jīn nián wǒ èr shí suì

I am twenty years old this year.
2 去年 qù nián — last year HSK 1
- 去 past, gone (indicating time that has passed)
- 年 year (the unit of time)
Example

去年我去了中国。

qù nián wǒ qù le zhōng guó

Last year I went to China.
3 明年 míng nián — next year HSK 1
- 明 next, following (in time)
- 年 year
Example

我明年要去中国旅游。

wǒ míng nián yào qù zhōng guó lǚ yóu

I'm going to travel to China next year.
4 过年 guò nián — to celebrate the New Year HSK 2
- 过 to celebrate, to observe (a festival); to spend (time)
- 年 year; New Year (festival)
Example

我们一家人在北京过年。

wǒ men yì jiā rén zài běi jīng guò nián

Our whole family celebrates the New Year in Beijing.
5 前年 qián nián — the year before last HSK 3
- 前 previous, before
- 年 year
Example

我前年去过北京。

wǒ qián nián qù guò Běi jīng

I went to Beijing the year before last.

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6 后年 hòu nián — the year after next HSK 3
- 后 after, later
- 年 year
Example

我计划后年去中国留学。

wǒ jì huà hòu nián qù Zhōng guó liú xué

I plan to study abroad in China the year after next.
7 年级 nián jí — grade HSK 3
- 年 year (temporal aspect of school level)
- 级 grade/level (classification aspect)
Example

她上三年级。

tā shàng sān nián jí

She is in third grade.
8 年轻 nián qīng — young HSK 3
- 年 years, age
- 轻 light (few in years)
Example

她看起来很年轻。

tā kàn qǐ lái hěn nián qīng

She looks very young.
9 新年 xīn nián — New Year HSK 3
- 新 new
- 年 year
Example

新年快乐！

xīn nián kuài lè

Happy New Year!
10 中年 zhōng nián — middle age HSK 4
- 中 middle, central
- 年 age, years (of life)
Example

他今年四十五岁，已经进入中年。

tā jīn nián sì shí wǔ suì yǐ jīng jìn rù zhōng nián

He is forty-five years old this year and has already entered middle age.
11 少年 shào nián — youth, teenager, adolescent HSK 4
- 少 young, youthful
- 年 age, years
Example

那个少年喜欢打篮球。

nà ge shào nián xǐ huan dǎ lán qiú

That youth likes to play basketball.
12 年底 nián dǐ — end of the year HSK 4
- 年 year
- 底 end, bottom
Example

他计划年底完成这个项目。

tā jì huà nián dǐ wán chéng zhè ge xiàng mù

He plans to complete this project by the end of the year.
13 年龄 nián líng — age HSK 4
- 年 year
- 龄 years of life
Example

年龄不是问题。

nián líng bù shì wèn tí

Age is not a problem.
14 童年 tóng nián — childhood HSK 4
- 童 child
- 年 years, period of time
Example

他常常回忆起童年的时光。

tā cháng cháng huí yì qǐ tóng nián de shí guāng

He often recalls his childhood times.
15 老年 lǎo nián — old age HSK 4
- 老 old, aged
- 年 years, age, period of life
Example

她的老年生活很充实。

tā de lǎo nián shēng huó hěn chōng shí

Her life in old age is very fulfilling.
16 青年 qīng nián — youth HSK 4
- 青 young, youthful
- 年 years, age
Example

这个青年很有礼貌。

zhè ge qīng nián hěn yǒu lǐ mào

This young person is very polite.
17 周年 zhōu nián — anniversary HSK 5
- 周 cycle, complete round
- 年 year
Example

今天是我们结婚十周年。

jīn tiān shì wǒ men jié hūn shí zhōu nián

Today is our 10th wedding anniversary.
18 学年 xué nián — academic year HSK 5
- 学 study, learning, academic
- 年 year
Example

每个学年分为两个学期。

měi gè xué nián fēn wéi liǎng gè xué qī

Each academic year is divided into two semesters.
19 年代 nián dài — era; decade; age HSK 5
- 年 year; provides the temporal/time dimension
- 代 generation; era; period; denotes a distinct period or generation
Example

这是一个充满变革的年代。

zhè shì yí gè chōng mǎn biàn gé de nián dài

This is an era full of change.
20 年初 nián chū — beginning of the year HSK 5
- 年 year
- 初 beginning
Example

年初我们制定了新的计划。

nián chū wǒ men zhì dìng le xīn de jì huà

At the beginning of the year, we made new plans.
21 年夜饭 nián yè fàn — Chinese New Year's Eve dinner HSK 5
- 年 year (referring to Chinese New Year)
- 夜 night/eve (New Year's Eve)
- 饭 meal/dinner
Example

我们全家在一起吃年夜饭。

wǒ men quán jiā zài yì qǐ chī nián yè fàn

Our whole family eats the New Year's Eve dinner together.
22 年纪 nián jì — age HSK 5
- 年 year
- 纪 record, count
Example

他年纪大了，走路很慢。

tā nián jì dà le zǒu lù hěn màn

He's getting old in age and walks very slowly.
23 当年 dāng nián — in those days HSK 5
- 当 at/during (temporal indicator)
- 年 year/time period
Example

当年他是一个很有名的歌手。

dāng nián tā shì yí gè hěn yǒu míng de gē shǒu

In those days he was a very famous singer.
24 成年 chéng nián — to come of age, to reach adulthood HSK 5
- 成 to become, to reach (a state)
- 年 age, years
Example

他今年十八岁，已经成年了。

tā jīn nián shí bā suì yǐ jīng chéng nián le

He is eighteen years old this year and has already come of age.
25 近年来 jìn nián lái — in recent years HSK 5
- 近 near, recent (indicates closeness in time)
- 年 year (the unit of time being referenced)
- 来 come, since (indicates a period continuing up to now)
Example

近年来，环境保护越来越受到重视。

jìn nián lái huán jìng bǎo hù yuè lái yuè shòu dào zhòng shì

In recent years, environmental protection has received more and more attention.
26 历年 lì nián — over the years HSK 6
- 历 successive, through (indicating progression through time)
- 年 years (the unit of time)
Example

历年来，这个城市发生了巨大变化。

lì nián lái zhè ge chéng shì fā shēng le jù dà biàn huà

Over the years, this city has undergone tremendous changes.
27 常年 cháng nián — all year round HSK 6
- 常 constant, regular, always
- 年 year
Example

这里常年温暖。

zhè lǐ cháng nián wēn nuǎn

It's warm here all year round.
28 年度 nián dù — year HSK 6
- 年 year (time unit)
- 度 period/measure (adds formal, official sense)
Example

他获得了年度最佳员工奖。

tā huò dé le nián dù zuì jiā yuán gōng jiǎng

He received the Employee of the Year award.
29 年终 nián zhōng — year-end HSK 6
- 年 year
- 终 end
Example

公司会在年终发放奖金。

gōng sī huì zài nián zhōng fā fàng jiǎng jīn

The company will distribute bonuses at year-end.
30 往年 wǎng nián — previous years HSK 6
- 往 past, previous (indicates direction toward the past)
- 年 year (provides the time unit)
Example

往年这个时候已经下雪了。

wǎng nián zhè ge shí hou yǐ jīng xià xuě le

In previous years, it was already snowing at this time.
31 拜年 bài nián — pay a New Year call HSK 6
- 拜 to pay respects, to make a respectful visit
- 年 year, New Year
Example

大年初一，孩子们给长辈拜年。

dà nián chū yī hái zi men gěi zhǎng bèi bài nián

On New Year's Day, children pay New Year respects to their elders.
32 未成年人 wèi chéng nián rén — minor HSK 6
- 未 not yet
- 成 become/reach
- 年 age/adulthood
- 人 person
Example

未成年人不能购买烟酒。

wèi chéng nián rén bù néng gòu mǎi yān jiǔ

Minors cannot purchase cigarettes and alcohol.
33 嘉年华 jiā nián huá — carnival HSK 7
- 嘉 excellent, auspicious; adds positive connotation
- 年 year; indicates the annual nature of celebration
- 华 splendid, magnificent; adds grandeur and serves as phonetic element
Example

这个城市每年都会举办盛大的嘉年华活动。

zhè ge chéng shì měi nián dōu huì jǔ bàn shèng dà de jiā nián huá huó dòng

This city holds a grand carnival event every year.
34 多年来 duō nián lái — over the years HSK 7
- 多 many
- 年 years
- 来 up to now (indicates temporal continuity from past to present)
Example

多年来，这个城市发生了很大的变化。

duō nián lái zhè ge chéng shì fā shēng le hěn dà de biàn huà

Over the years, this city has undergone great changes.
35 年均 nián jūn — annual average HSK 7
- 年 year, annual
- 均 average, mean
Example

这个城市年均降雨量达到1000毫米。

zhè ge chéng shì nián jūn jiàng yǔ liàng dá dào yī qiān háo mǐ

This city's annual average rainfall reaches 1000 millimeters.
36 年报 nián bào — annual report HSK 7
- 年 year, annual
- 报 report
Example

公司的年报显示了良好的业绩。

gōng sī de nián bào xiǎn shì le liáng hǎo de yè jì

The company's annual report shows good performance.
37 年画 nián huà — New Year painting HSK 7
- 年 New Year (Chinese New Year/Spring Festival)
- 画 painting, picture
Example

过年的时候，家家户户都会贴年画。

guò nián de shí hou jiā jiā hù hù dōu huì tiē nián huà

During New Year, every household puts up New Year paintings.
38 年薪 nián xīn — annual salary HSK 7
- 年 year, annual
- 薪 salary, wage
Example

他的年薪超过一百万。

tā de nián xīn chāo guò yì bǎi wàn

His annual salary exceeds one million.
39 年轮 nián lún — annual ring HSK 7
- 年 annual, yearly
- 轮 ring, circle
Example

树干上的年轮清晰可见。

shù gàn shàng de nián lún qīng xī kě jiàn

The annual rings on the tree trunk are clearly visible.
40 年迈 nián mài — elderly HSK 7
- 年 years, age
- 迈 advanced, progressed
Example

他虽然年迈，但身体很健康。

tā suī rán nián mài dàn shēn tǐ hěn jiàn kāng

Although he is elderly, he is very healthy.
41 年限 nián xiàn — term, period, time limit HSK 7
- 年 year (unit of time)
- 限 limit, boundary (fixed duration)
Example

这个合同的年限是五年。

zhè ge hé tong de nián xiàn shì wǔ nián

The term of this contract is five years.
42 早年 zǎo nián — early years HSK 7
- 早 early
- 年 years
Example

他早年在北京学习中文。

tā zǎo nián zài Běi jīng xué xí Zhōng wén

He studied Chinese in Beijing in his early years.
43 晚年 wǎn nián — later years, old age HSK 7
- 晚 late, latter (period)
- 年 years (of life)
Example

她晚年致力于慈善事业。

tā wǎn nián zhì lì yú cí shàn shì yè

She devoted her later years to charitable work.
44 来年 lái nián — next year HSK 7
- 来 coming, approaching
- 年 year
Example

我们来年再见吧。

wǒ men lái nián zài jiàn ba

Let's meet again next year.
45 连年 lián nián — year after year HSK 7
- 连 continuous, successive
- 年 year
Example

这个地区连年干旱。

zhè ge dì qū lián nián gān hàn

This region has experienced drought year after year.
46 逐年 zhú nián — year by year HSK 7
- 逐 successively, one after another
- 年 year
Example

公司的利润逐年增长。

gōng sī de lì rùn zhú nián zēng zhǎng

The company's profits grow year by year.

Structure & writing

1 年 nián — year (unit of time; common year = 365 days, leap year = 366 days, every 4 years)

年 is not used as a component in any other character.

年 is an atomic character — it does not decompose further.

Stroke order

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Meaning of 年

年 nián — year