去年
qùnián
Last year
去年 (qùnián) is the common way to say "last year" in Mandarin Chinese. It refers to the year immediately preceding the current one.
What does 去年 (qùnián) mean?
去年 (qùnián) means “last year” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “past year.”
When to use it
Neutral and widely used. It's appropriate in all contexts, from casual conversation to formal writing.
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “choo-NYEN.” The first syllable is a falling tone, and the second is a rising tone.
Other ways to say it
- 今年jīnniánthis year
- 明年míngniánnext year
- 前年qiánniánthe year before last
Examples
我去年去了北京。
wǒ qùnián qùle Běijīng.
I went to Beijing last year.
去年夏天特别热。
qùnián xiàtiān tèbié rè.
Last summer was especially hot.
他去年搬到了上海。
tā qùnián bāndào le Shànghǎi.
He moved to Shanghai last year.
Pro tip: The character 去 (qù) in 去年 means "past" or "gone" in this context, not "to go." It's a fixed expression for "last year."
Related phrases
年 · Year今年 · This year明年 · Next year
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