年
year · counter for years
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Cycle of rice ripening and harvesting. Shape of person carrying rice.
Symbolism
Years, time, growth. '年' is time unit from agricultural culture.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Years passing
Seasonal
"New Year" and "year's end" are the greatest seasonal events symbolizing winter-to-spring transition. The yearly cycle frames Japanese seasonal sensibility.
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
十年一日
じゅうねんいちじつ
without intermission for ten (long) years; with constancy of purpose for ten (long) years; in the same old rut for years on end; without intermission for ten (long) years
年功加俸
ねんこうかほう
long service allowance; longevity pay; long service allowance
年功序列
ねんこうじょれつ
seniority by length of service; seniority by length of service
年中行事
ねんちゅうぎょうじ
annual function; annual event; annual function
年百年中
ねんびゃくねんじゅう
throughout the year; all the year round; always; throughout the year
年年歳歳
ねんねんさいさい
annually; every year; year in year out; annually
十年一昔
じゅうねんひとむかし
the pace of change makes ten years back seem like ancient history; the pace of change makes ten years back seem like ancient history
豊年満作
ほうねんまんさく
bumper crops; year of a full rice harvest; bumper crops
歳々年々
さいさいねんねん
annually; every year; year in and year out; annually
百年河清
ひゃくねんかせい
waiting for one hundred years for the waters of the Yellow River to clear; waiting in vain for an unlikely event; waiting for pigs to fly; waiting for one hundred years for the waters of the Yellow River to clear
面壁九年
めんぺきくねん
facing a wall for nine years in meditation (by Bodhidharma at Shaolin Temple); facing a wall for nine years in meditation (by Bodhidharma at Shaolin Temple)
Proverbs & Idioms
年寄りの冷や水
としよりのひやみず
Old person's cold water
An elderly person acting inappropriately young
少年老い易く学成り難し
しょうねんおいやすくがくなりがたし
Youth ages quickly, learning is hard to achieve
Time flies, so study diligently while young
年貢の納め時
ねんぐのおさめどき
Time to pay the annual tribute
Time to face the consequences
Poetry
契りおきし させもが露を いのちにて あはれ今年の 秋もいぬめり
Poem #75 from Hyakunin Isshu