百ひゃく年ねん

noun

hundred years; century; a very long time

Literally 'one hundred years', also used figuratively for an extremely long time. The archaic reading ももとせ is poetic.

• この建たて物ものは百ひゃく年ねん以い上じょう前まえに建たてられた。

  This building was built over a hundred years ago.

• 百ひゃく年ねんに一いち度どの大だい災さい害がいと言いわれている。

  It is said to be a once-in-a-century disaster.

• そんな日ひが来くるのは百ひゃく年ねん早はやいよ。

  It'll be a hundred years too soon for that day to come.