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年来 (ねんらい, nenrai) Japanese meaning: long-standing | Kotomora

年ねん来らい

ね

ん

ら

い

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun

long-standing; long-cherished; of many years

Used as a pre-nominal modifier (～の) to describe something that has existed or been felt for many years, such as a wish, problem, or relationship.

年ねん来らいの夢ゆめがついに叶かなった。

My long-cherished dream has finally come true.

これは年ねん来らいの懸けん案あん事じ項こうだ。

This is a long-standing pending issue.

2

for years; over the years; for a long time

Adverbial use indicating that something has continued or been done over a period of years up to the present.

彼かれは年ねん来らいこの町まちに住すんでいる。
He has been living in this town for years.
年ねん来らいの研けん究きゅうが実みを結むすんだ。
Years of research have borne fruit.

Usage patterns

年ねん来らいの〈事こと〉a wish, problem, or relationship that has persisted for many years
彼かれは年ねん来らいの夢ゆめをついに実じつ現げんした。
He finally realized his long-cherished dream.
〈数すう〉年ねん来らいfor the past N years, up to now
五ご年ねん来らい、彼かれとは会あっていない。
I haven't met him for the past five years.

Expressions

数すう年ねん来らいfor several years; over several years; several years standing

Kanji

年year, counter for years
来come, due, next

Related words

長なが年ねんN2sense 1
長年 is the common everyday word for 'many years', while 年来 is more formal and typical of written or news style.
多た年ねん sense 1
多年 is an equally formal alternative to 年来, often used in set phrases like 多年の功績 (achievements of many years).
積せき年ねん sense 1
積年 emphasizes something accumulated or built up over years, such as a grudge, more narrowly than the broader 年来.
久ひさしく sense 2
久しく is a plain adverb meaning 'for a long time' usable in everyday speech, whereas 年来 is a more literary way to express the same idea counted in years.
昨さく年ねん来らい
昨年来 specifies a state continuing since last year, while 年来 refers to a longer, unspecified span of years.

Don't confuse with

近きん来らい
近来 means 'recently, in recent years', the opposite time direction from 年来's 'for many years up to now', though both end in the kanji 来.

Word family

昨さく年ねん来らい
since last year

Etymology

Compound of 年 (year) and 来 (come, since). The literal sense 'since years ago' developed into 'long-standing' and adverbial 'for years'.