also: いくとせ
number of years; how many years
Used to ask or talk about an unspecified number of years, often in questions or expressions of duration. The reading いくとせ is more literary or poetic.
How many years has it been since you started living in this town?
He has continued that research for many years.
何年 is the more common and direct way to ask 'how many years', while 幾年 is more formal or literary.
Standard kanji spelling for the reading いくねん.
Alternate reading いくとせ, more literary or poetic.
Rare kanji variant using 歳; not commonly used.
Rare kanji variant with the literary reading いくとせ.
Compound of 幾 (iku, 'how many') + 年 (nen, 'year'). The reading いくとせ uses the older native Japanese counter とせ for years.