年
year, counter for years
Readings
On'yomi
- ネン
Kun'yomi
- とし
Nanori
- ね
Meaning
年 centers on the concept of a year as a unit of time, and by extension serves as a counter for years.
Most common words using 年
24 of 891- 年としN5
year
- 年ねんN5
year
- 今年ことしN5
this year
- 年間ねんかんN3
(period of) a year
- 少年しょうねんN3
boy
- 年齢ねんれいN3
age; years
- 年代ねんだいN3
age; era; period; date
- 年度ねんどN2
fiscal year (usu. April 1 to March 31 in Japan); financial year
- 毎年まいとしN5
every year; yearly; annually
- 去年きょねんN5
last year
- 来年らいねんN5
next year
- 半年はんとしN1
half a year; six months
- 近年きんねん
recent years
- 年金ねんきんN2
annuity; pension
- 昨年さくねんN3
last year
- 長年ながねんN2
many years; a long time
- 年収ねんしゅうN1
annual income
- 青年せいねんN3
youth; young man
- 年末ねんまつN1
end-of-year; year-end
- 前年ぜんねんN1
the preceding year; the previous year; last year
- 年上としうえN2
older; senior
- 年寄りとしよりN3
old person; elderly person; senior citizen
- 学年がくねんN3
academic year; school year
- 未成年みせいねんN3
minority (i.e. being under age); minor; underage person
Study
Etymology
年 originally depicted a person carrying harvested grain, symbolizing the yearly harvest cycle. The modern form is simplified, but the association with the annual harvest remains.
Meaning mnemonic
The top strokes look like a simplified plant, and the lower part resembles a person carrying it. Imagine the yearly harvest being brought in, marking the passage of a year.
Reading mnemonic
For ネン, think of a new year beginning: 'nen' sounds like the start of 'new', and the harvest marks the annual cycle. New year -> ネン.