🇨🇳 How to say

“year” in Chinese

年nián
Illustration of "year" in a Chinese cultural setting
A calendar page flips from December to January, showing the transition from one year to the next. Fireworks burst in the night sky above a city skyline, celebrating the arrival of a new year.

Usage note

年 is a fundamental time word used for counting years and referring to annual events. It's commonly used in greetings like 新年快乐 (Happy New Year) and appears in dates when stating the year.

Examples

  • 今年是2024年。

    This year is 2024.

  • 我去年去了北京。

    I went to Beijing last year.

  • 新年快乐！

    Happy New Year!

Quick check

What does "年" mean?

  • A. year
  • B. hotel
  • C. hour
  • D. money

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