Definition
当年 means 'back in that specific year or period' — it points to a particular time in the past that the speaker has in mind. It is more specific than 当时 (dāng shí, 'at that time'), which can refer to any past moment, and less general than 往年 (wǎng nián, 'previous years', without a definite reference).
noun
in those daysback thenin that year
Examples
- 当年。dāng nián zhèlǐ hái shì yí piàn huāngdì.Back then this place was still a stretch of wasteland.
- 当年，。Tā dāng nián cái èrshí suì, jiù yǐjīng dāng jīnglǐ le.He was only twenty back then and already a manager.
- 当年？Nǐ dāng nián wèishénme méi qù liúxué?Why didn't you go study abroad back then?
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