多年 meaning in English

duō nián

many years; for many years

HSK 412 strokes

Meaning of 多年

Definitions from CC-CEDICT.

duōnián

many years
for many years
longstanding

How to use 多年

多年 is often used before a noun to describe something that has lasted a long time, or before a verb to say something has gone on for years. Example: 我们是多年的朋友。(Wǒmen shì duōnián de péngyou.) We have been friends for many years.

多 (duō) means many and 年 (nián) means year, so 多年 is simply many years put together. Picture a stack of calendars piled up high to remember it.

Common mistake: Learners sometimes say 很多年 and 多年 as if they always fit the same slots. 多年 can sit directly before a noun with 的, as in 多年的经验, while 很多年 usually works as a time phrase after a verb, as in 住了很多年.

多年 in example sentences

Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.

我wǒ很hěn多duō年nián前qián就jiù开kāi始shǐ在zài这zhè里lǐ工gōng作zuò了le。

I started working here many years ago.

我wǒ叔shū叔shū住zhù在zài国guó外wài很hěn多duō年nián了le。

My uncle lived abroad for many years.

我wǒ认rèn识shí史shǐ密mì斯sī先xiān生shēng有yǒu好hǎo多duō年nián了le。

I've known Mr Smith for many years.

我wǒ哥gē哥gē已yǐ经jīng在zài英yīng格gé兰lán生shēng活huó三sān十shí多duō年nián了le。

My brother has lived in England for more than thirty years.

这zhè事shì发fā生shēng在zài很hěn多duō年nián以yǐ前qián。

It happened a long time ago.

Stroke order for each character

Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.

多 duō · many · 6 strokes

年 nián · year · 6 strokes

Related words

Words that share a character with 多年.

多少	duōshao	number; amount; somewhat
今年	jīnnián	this year
去年	qùnián	last year
明年	míngnián	next year
半年	bàn nián	half a year
新年	xīnnián	New Year
多久	duōjiǔ	(of time) how long?; (not) a long time
年轻	niánqīng	young
差不多	chàbuduō	almost; nearly
许多	xǔduō	many; a lot of
好多	hǎoduō	many; quite a lot
多么	duōme	how (wonderful etc); what (a great idea etc)

Questions about 多年

What does 多年 mean?

多年 (duō nián) means "many years; for many years".

How do you write 多年?

多年 is made of 2 characters: 多 (6 strokes), 年 (6 strokes). That is 12 strokes in total.

Is 多年 an HSK word?

Yes. 多年 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.

What is the difference between 多年 and 几年?

多年 stresses a long stretch of time, many years. 几年 means a few or several years and does not suggest the time was especially long.

How do I say I have done something for many years?

You can put 多年 before the verb phrase, often with 来: 他多年来一直学中文 (Tā duōnián lái yìzhí xué Zhōngwén), he has been studying Chinese for many years. You can also say 学了多年中文.