Chinese word

多年

Pronunciation

Pinyinduō nián

Meaning

  • adverbfor many years

Example

我多年没见他了。wǒ duō nián méi jiàn tā le

I haven't seen him for many years.

Illustration for 多年 (for many years)

More examples

他多年从事教育工作。tā duō nián cóng shì jiào yù gōng zuò

He has worked in education for many years.

Core concept

A continuous stretch of time extending across numerous years between an earlier point and a later one.

Common phrases

  • 多年没见duō nián méi jiàn

    not see for many years

  • 多年从事duō nián cóng shì

    engage in for many years

  • 多年坚持duō nián jiān chí

    persist for many years

Similar words

多年来duō nián lái: Over many years and continuing up to the present.
长年cháng nián: Continuously over a long period of years.

Definition in Chinese

表示时间上经过许多年，侧重指出从过去到某一时点之间持续的长时间，常与否定或完成结构搭配以强调长时间未发生或已持续存在。biǎo shì shí jiān shàng jīng guò xǔ duō nián cè zhòng zhǐ chū cóng guò qù dào mǒu yì shí diǎn zhī jiān chí xù de cháng shí jiān cháng yǔ fǒu dìng huò wán chéng jié gòu dā pèi yǐ qiáng diào cháng shí jiān wèi fā shēng huò yǐ chí xù cún zài

Word origin

多 (duō, "many") + 年 (nián, "year") forms a time expression measured in numerous years, which also works as an adverb for a long-lasting span.

Usage tips

  • As an adverb, it normally comes before the verb phrase, whereas English often places the matching time phrase after the verb.

Other meanings

  • for a long timeadverb

Word lists with this word