Basic Meaning and Usage
The character 年 (nián) primarily means "year" in Chinese. It is used to indicate the passage of time in years, age, or durations. It is one of the most common time units and appears frequently in dates, ages, and time expressions.
Common Collocations and Patterns
- 每年 (měi nián): every year, used to describe annual events or routines.
- 今年 (jīn nián): this year, used to specify the current year.
- 去年 (qù nián): last year, used to refer to the previous year.
- 明年 (míng nián): next year, used to talk about the following year.
- 年龄 (nián líng): age, often used in formal contexts.
- 工作了X年 (gōngzuò le X nián): worked for X years, used to describe duration of work or experience.
Usage Notes
When 年 is used to express age, it is often combined with 岁 (suì) to indicate years old, e.g., 二十五岁 (25 years old). In time expressions, 年 can be combined with other words to specify particular years or durations. It is a neutral and very common word suitable for both spoken and written Chinese.
Avoid confusing 年 with 月 (yuè, month) or 日 (rì, day), which are other time units. 年 always refers to the year level of time.