多年

• Pinyin: duō nián
• Hanzi breakdown: 多 = two 夕 (evening) stacked, suggesting abundance; 年 = originally a pictograph of a person carrying grain, representing the harvest year

Meaning

Many years; for years. A long period measured in years.

Used to describe a lengthy time span, often emphasising persistence, experience, or a long-standing situation. Common in phrases like 多年的朋友 (a friend of many years), 多年来 (over the years), and 多年以后 (many years later).

Examples

1. 他们是多年的老朋友了。 They are old friends of many years.
2. 多年来他一直坚持每天跑步。 Over the years he has kept up the habit of running every day.
3. 她在国外生活了多年才回来。 She lived abroad for many years before coming back.

Usage Guide

Context: time, narrative

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我们认识多年了。(We've known each other for many years.)
• 多年以后他终于实现了梦想。(After many years he finally realised his dream.)

Don't Say

• 在口语中用'多年'代替'好几年' (In casual conversation, 好几年 sounds more natural than 多年 — 多年 is slightly more formal or literary)

Origin & History

Compound of 多 (many) and 年 (year). A simple and direct expression for a span of many years.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal