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March 24, 2026
年(秊)nián(Nian2)
The character 年 (nián) primarily means 'year' and is commonly used to denote time periods in contexts such as age, anniversaries, and harvests. It can also refer to the Chinese New Year, which is a significant cultural event marking the start of a new year according to the lunar calendar.
Strokes6Radical干Frequency#141DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
The concept of 年 is deeply intertwined with the celebration of the Chinese New Year (春节, chūnjié), which is based on lunar calendars and signifies renewal and the importance of family gatherings. This character also reflects the agricultural roots of Chinese society, where harvest cycles were critical.
Memory Tip
Imagine a giant calendar with the character 年 (nián) standing on top of it, holding a big grain of rice. This visual connects the word to its meaning of 'year' and 'harvest,' as both concepts are essential to agricultural traditions in China. The pronunciation 'nián' sounds like 'knee-an,' which you can visualize as someone bending their knee in celebration during New Year festivities.
Meanings of 年
nián(Nian2)
1year
2grain
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 年
年Simplified
秊Traditional
6Strokes
干Radical
数词shùcínumeral (num.)Part of Speech
#141Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L1HSK 3.0L1ElementaryTOCFLL1HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 年
Podcast: 年
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AI Study Notes for 年
Quick Contrast
岁 (suì) - use 年 (nián) when referring to a calendar year, while 岁 (suì) specifically denotes age in years.
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include using 年 in contexts where a different time measure is needed, such as 'month' (月, yuè) or 'day' (日, rì). It's typically used in both formal and informal settings, but be mindful of its context, especially around the New Year when it has cultural significance. Remember, '年' is pronounced with a rising tone, which can be tricky for some learners.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 1 word, 年 connects to other basic time-related vocabulary such as 现在 (xiànzài, now) and 今天 (jīntiān, today). Focus on practicing this character in sentences about age, time periods, and celebrations to solidify your understanding.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 年 with 年龄 (niánlíng, age) or mistakenly use it when talking about specific dates. For example, saying '我十年' (wǒ shí nián) instead of '我十岁' (wǒ shí suì) to mean 'I am ten years old' is incorrect.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 年
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Pictograph of a person (卩) harvesting grain (禾). The harvest season is a yearly event. The components are not obvious in the modern form.
1The giveawayA man 干 carrying grain, representing the annual harvest
2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 年? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 年?
Decomposition of 年
IDS Structure⿻干？
年Full Character
=
干gan1
outer
Exercise 1 of 1
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 年?
How to say year in Chinese
“year” in Chinese is年nián
The character 年 (nián) primarily means 'year' and is commonly used to denote time periods in contexts such as age, anniversaries, and harvests. It can also refer to the Chinese New Year, which is a significant cultural event marking the start of a new year according to the lunar calendar.
When to use 年
Common mistakes include using 年 in contexts where a different time measure is needed, such as 'month' (月, yuè) or 'day' (日, rì). It's typically used in both formal and informal settings, but be mindful of its context, especially around the New Year when it has cultural significance. Remember, '年' is pronounced with a rising tone, which can be tricky for some learners.
年 or something close to it
岁 (suì) - use 年 (nián) when referring to a calendar year, while 岁 (suì) specifically denotes age in years.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 年 with 年龄 (niánlíng, age) or mistakenly use it when talking about specific dates. For example, saying '我十年' (wǒ shí nián) instead of '我十岁' (wǒ shí suì) to mean 'I am ten years old' is incorrect.
Write 年
年
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Practice writing 年 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 年
年 functions as a number. It almost always combines with a measure word before a noun (三个人, 五本书). Standalone numbers are rare outside of math or counting. It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
