year, counter for years
年 centers on the concept of a year as a unit of time, and by extension serves as a counter for years.
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.
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.
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.
year
year
this year
(period of) a year
boy
age; years
age; era; period; date
fiscal year (usu. April 1 to March 31 in Japan); financial year
every year; yearly; annually
last year
next year
half a year; six months
recent years
annuity; pension
last year
many years; a long time
annual income
youth; young man
end-of-year; year-end
the preceding year; the previous year; last year
older; senior
old person; elderly person; senior citizen
academic year; school year
minority (i.e. being under age); minor; underage person
younger; junior
middle-age; middle age; midlife; one's middle years
(compulsory) retirement age; age limit
that year; same year; same age
whole year; all year round; throughout the year
New Year
following year
youth
remainder of the year; rest of the year
year by year; annually; every year; from year to year
months and years
average (normal, ordinary) year
young people; youth; the younger generation
first year (of an imperial era)
approximate age; apparent age
number of years
birth date; date of birth; DOB
year before last
New Year's card
year-end party; "forget-the-year" party; bōnenkai
(approximate) age; years
senior; older
youngest
preceding fiscal year
one's later years; final years (in life)
beginning of the year; early in the New Year
light-year
annual; yearly
New Year's gift (usu. money given to a child by relatives and visitors)
this year; this fiscal year; this school year
repeating a year (at school); staying in the same class for another year
adult age; majority
annual salary
beginning of the year; new year
years gone by; earlier years; former years; the past
all year; year round
beginning of the year
non-leap year
fountain pen
of long standing; long-pending; long-cherished
conference; annual convention
chronological table
menopause; climacteric
upper grades of primary school (sixth, fifth, and sometimes fourth grades)
all year round
name of an imperial era (e.g. Heisei, Shōwa); Japanese era name
date (year, month and day)
this (current) year
old age
prime of life
annual production
yearbook; almanac; annual
year after next
man born in a year with the same Chinese zodiac sign as the current year
previous year (fiscal, academic, etc.)
New Year's greetings; New Year's call; New Year's gift
annual rate (of interest)
seniority by length of service
yearly (annual) turnover
annual tree ring; growth ring
unlucky year; critical year; year (esp. age 25 and 42 for men, 19 and 33 for women) that is considered unlucky (orig. in Onmyōdō)
yearly amount
fruitful year
beginning of the year
annual publication
first year; early years (of a reign or era)
leap year
chronological record
long service
seeing the old year out; greeting the New Year; passing the winter; hibernation
first-year student; first-year pupil
old person; elderly person; senior citizen
one full year
one year; some time ago
(period of) one year
ten thousand years; eternity
three years
fiscal year
lower grades of primary school (first, second, and sometimes third grades)
how many years; how long
the 1900s
welfare pension
whole year; entire year
national pension; government pension system
similar to that of an average year; in line with an average year; normal
to grow old; to age
open every day of the year; open year-round; operating 365 days a year
old (person); aged
years later
nth-year student; nth-year pupil
age range; age-group; age bracket
several hundred million years
several years; a few years
a few years ago; some years back
next year
since last year
minor; underage person
Happy New Year
young persons' association