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往年 (wǎng nián) — in former years; in previous years

Definition

Refers to past years in general, contrasted with a specific year like this year. 历年 emphasizes accumulation across years; 以往 covers the past more broadly, not just years.

noun
in former yearsin previous years

Examples

  • 往年。
    wǎng nián Zhè ge shí hou tiān qì hěn lěng.
    In previous years, the weather was very cold at this time.
  • 往年。
    wǎng nián De chéng jì méi yǒu jīn nián hǎo.
    The results in former years weren't as good as this year's.
  • 往年。
    Tā shuō de hé wǎng nián bù yí yàng.
    What he said is different from previous years.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

往wǎngpast
年niányear

'往' means past and '年' means years, so together they refer to years that have passed.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
止止zhǐfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
王
王wáng往wǎng
Same sound today

The form that became 往 paired 止, a foot, with 王 for the sound; a stepping part was later added, and the right side changed.

Open 往 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
禾禾héwheat; grain
Sound part声符shēngfú
人
人rén年nián
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

年 pairs 禾 (grain) with 人, which gives the sound. Its original meaning was harvest, and it later came to mean a year.

Open 年 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Months & Dates

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