来年

• Pinyin: lái nián
• Hanzi breakdown: 来 = come; 年 = 禾 variant — year/grain harvest

Meaning

Next year; the coming year. The year that follows the current one.

Slightly more literary than 明年. Often used in formal contexts, agricultural planning, or when discussing future expectations. Can also refer to a future year in narration.

Examples

1. 来年我们计划扩大生产规模。 We plan to expand production scale next year.
2. 农民们正在为来年的种植做准备。 Farmers are preparing for next year's planting.
3. 来年此时，项目应该已经完工了。 By this time next year, the project should be completed.

Usage Guide

Context: planning, agriculture, business

Tone: forward-looking

Do Say

• 来年再见。(See you next year.)
• 来年的市场前景看好。(The market outlook for next year looks promising.)

Don't Say

• 在日常口语中频繁用来年代替明年。(来年 is slightly formal — 明年 is more common in casual speech)

Origin & History

Compound of 来 (come) + 年 (year). Literally 'the coming year.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal