Chinese · Numbers & Time
年
nián
Year
Beginnernoun
Definition
A period of twelve months.
Example
我学中文三年了。
I have studied Chinese for three years.
Etymology
'年' (nián) has roots in ancient numbers and represents the calendar year, with historical usages tied to agricultural cycles.
How & Where It’s Used
'年' is utilized in both spoken and written forms to refer to a year in a variety of contexts, ranging from formal to casual discussions.