Chinese word

年前

Pronunciation

Pinyinnián qián

Meaning

  • nounyears ago

Example

三年前我去了日本。sān nián qián wǒ qù le rì běn

I went to Japan three years ago.

Illustration for 年前 (years ago)

More examples

十几年前我还住在这条街上。shí jǐ nián qián wǒ hái zhù zài zhè tiáo jiē shàng

Over ten years ago, I still lived on this street.

Core concept

A marker that locates an earlier event by how far it lies behind the present in years.

Common phrases

  • 几年前jǐ nián qián

    a few years ago

  • 多年前duō nián qián

    many years ago

  • 十几年前shí jǐ nián qián

    over ten years ago

Similar words

几年前jǐ nián qián: A time expression for an unclear point a few years in the past.
数年前shù nián qián: A time expression for an event that happened several years in the past.

Definition in Chinese

表示过去某一时间点之前的年数，既可指具体年数（如“三年前”），也可指模糊的多年（如“多年前”）。biǎo shì guò qù mǒu yì shí jiān diǎn zhī qián de nián shù jì kě zhǐ jù tǐ nián shù rú sān nián qián yě kě zhǐ mó hú de duō nián rú duō nián qián

Word origin

年 (nián, "year") supplies the time unit and 前 (qián, "before") places that unit on the earlier side of the present, forming 年前 (niánqián, "years ago").

Usage tips

  • The quantity before this word controls precision: a numeral gives a fixed interval, while a vague quantity leaves the length broad.

Other meanings

  • several years agonoun
  • many years agonoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word