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年代 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
年代niándàia decade of a century (e.g. the Sixties)HSK 5, t, rank #1672, Medium
年代niándàiageHSK 5, t, rank #1672, Medium
年代niándàieraHSK 5, t, rank #1672, Medium
年代niándàiperiodHSK 5, t, rank #1672, Medium
年代niándài>个[gè]HSK 5, t, rank #1672, Medium
niándài(nian2dai4) T2
  1. 1a decade of a century (e.g. the Sixties)
  2. 2age
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March 24, 2026
年代niándài(nian2dai4)

年代 refers to a specific time period, often used to denote decades within a century. It can indicate an era in history or a person's age, and is commonly used in discussions about cultural, social, or historical contexts, such as the 'Sixties' or 'the modern era.'

Frequency#1672DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, specific decades often invoke significant historical events, such as the Cultural Revolution, which is referred to by its decade. Understanding 年代 can provide insight into societal changes and attitudes during those times.

Memory Tip

Think of 年 (nián) meaning 'year' and 代 (dài) indicating 'generation' or 'era.' Picture a timeline where each decade is marked, connecting the concept of years passing and shaping generations.

Meanings of 年代

niándài(nian2dai4)
1a decade of a century (e.g. the Sixties)
2age
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About 年代

年代Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
时间词time word (t.)Part of Speech
#1672Frequency Rank
个Measure Word
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2CEFRA2

Podcast: 年代

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Podcast: 年代

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AI Study Notes for 年代

Quick Contrast

年代 (niándài) vs 时代 (shídài) — use 年代 for specific time periods or decades, while 时代 refers more broadly to an era or age.

Memory Mnemonic

Think of 年 (nián) meaning 'year' and 代 (dài) indicating 'generation' or 'era.' Picture a timeline where each decade is marked, connecting the concept of years passing and shaping generations.

Usage Notes

Be mindful of the context in which you use 年代, as it is often more formal and academic. It is commonly paired with other words to specify the type of period, such as 历史年代 (historical period). A common mistake is to confuse it with 年 (year), which refers to a single year rather than a span of time.

HSK Study Tips

As HSK Level 5 vocabulary, students should focus on using 年代 in context with other time-related words and phrases. Understanding its connection to history and culture in Chinese can deepen comprehension of discussions about significant time periods.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, specific decades often invoke significant historical events, such as the Cultural Revolution, which is referred to by its decade. Understanding 年代 can provide insight into societal changes and attitudes during those times.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 年代 to refer to a specific year instead of a decade, for example saying '我出生在1980年代' (I was born in the 1980s) instead of '我出生在1980年' (I was born in 1980). Correct usage would specify the decade when necessary.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 年代

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Component Characters

年niányear
HSK 16 strokes干
View full entry
代dàito substitute
HSK 55 strokes亻
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Write 年代

年
代

Practice writing 年代 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 年代

年代 carries 5 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

到80____末的时候，他们的数量已是原来的4倍。

By the late eighties their number had grown fourfold.

Example Sentences for 年代 (10)

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1
到80年代末的时候，他们的数量已是原来的4倍。

dào80 80 nián dài mò de shí， hòu ， tā mén de shù liáng yǐ shì yuán4 lái。

By the late eighties their number had grown fourfold.
2
“袜铺”是20世纪80年代商业成功的范例之一。

“ “ wà” pū20 ” shì80 20 shì jì 80 nián dài shāng yè chéng gōng de。

Sock Shop was one of the high-street success stories of the 80s.
3
这座电站到20世纪80年代初就已经失去作用了。

zhè zuò diàn zhàn dào20 20 shì80 jì 80 nián dài chū jiù yǐ jīng shī qù zuò。

By the early 1980s, the power station had outlived its purpose.
4
70年代初我戴假睫毛，这在当时是时尚。

70 70 nián dài chū wǒ dài jiǎ jié， máo ， zhè zài dāng shí shì。

In the early seventies I wore false eyelashes, as was the fashion.
5
在20世纪80年代，世界金融体系变得更加开放。

zài20 20 shì80 jì 80， nián dài ， shì jiè jīn róng tǐ xì biàn dé gēng。

During the 1980s the world's financial systems became more open.
6
极右势力在20世纪80年代有所抬头。

jí yòu shì lì zài20 20 shì80 jì 80 nián dài yǒu suǒ。

The extreme right reared its ugly head in the 1980s.
7
让－菲利普在20世纪60年代曾搭便车游遍欧洲。

ràng－ － fēi lì pǔ20 zài 2060 shì jì 60 nián dài zēng dā biàn chē yóu。

Jean-Phillippe had hitched all over Europe in the 1960s.
8
我从未觉得自己真是60年代的人。

wǒ cóng wèi jué dé zì jǐ zhēn shì60 60 nián dài de。

I never felt myself a real child of the sixties.
9
在20世纪50年代，许多意大利人只会说当地方言。

zài20 20 shì50 jì 50， nián dài ， xǔ duō yì dà lì rén zhī huì shuō dāng。

In the fifties, many Italians spoke only local dialect.
10
那是个艰苦的年代。

nà shì gè jiān kǔ de nián dài。

It was an era of austerity.

Cultural Notes for 年代

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, specific decades often invoke significant historical events, such as the Cultural Revolution, which is referred to by its decade. Understanding 年代 can provide insight into societal changes and attitudes during those times.

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western cultures, decades are also marked by cultural shifts, but often focus more on trends in music or fashion rather than historical significance.

Frequently Asked Questions about 年代

You can say '上个年代' (the last decade) to refer to the previous ten years.