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.
Appears in
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