年

• Reading: とし
• Romaji: toshi
• Kanji breakdown: 年 (nen/toshi) — year, age
• Pronunciation: /to.ɕi/

Meaning

Year; age. Used for calendar years, duration in years, and a person's age.

Has two main readings: とし (year/age, native Japanese) and ねん (year, Sino-Japanese, used in compounds and counting). Common words include 今年 (this year), 去年 (last year), 来年 (next year), and 毎年 (every year). Also means 'age' as in 年を取る (to grow old).

Examples

1. 今年の夏は暑いですね。 This summer is hot, isn't it.
2. 来年日本に行きたいです。 I want to go to Japan next year.
3. 去年から日本語を勉強しています。 I've been studying Japanese since last year.

Usage Guide

Context: calendar, age, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 年 originally depicted a person carrying harvested grain, representing the annual cycle of rice cultivation. One harvest cycle equals one year.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal