noun (time word) HSK 1
this year
Meaning
今年 refers to the current calendar year. It's one of the most basic time expressions in Mandarin, used in daily conversation whenever talking about events, plans, or situations happening within the present year.
Usage
今年 is extremely common in everyday speech and writing. It can appear at the beginning or middle of sentences to establish the timeframe. Unlike English where 'this year' might need 'in' before it, 今年 stands alone as a time word and doesn't require a preposition.
Examples
- 01我今年二十五岁。.I am 25 years old this year.
- 02今年的冬天特别冷。.This year's winter is especially cold.
Characters
Common collocations
- 今年夏天this summer
- 今年年初the beginning of this year
- 今年年底the end of this year
Origin
The compound combines 今 (now/present) with 年 (year) to literally mean 'the present year.' This straightforward construction follows a common pattern in Chinese time expressions.