Readings: ネン (Onyomi), とし (Kunyomi)
Meaning: year
The kanji 年 means “year.” It’s used in expressing age, years on the calendar, and time-related expressions like 去年 (last year), 来年 (next year), and 一年 (one year).
View JLPT N5 Kanji ListKanji Details
| Radical | 干 (dry) |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 6 |
| JLPT Level | N5 |
| Grade | 1st Grade |
Readings
| Onyomi | ネン |
|---|---|
| Kunyomi | とし |
How to Write – Stroke Order
年 has 6 strokes. It’s often seen in calendars, school years, birthdays, and dates.
- Start with the upper component 干 (horizontal → vertical → hook)
- Then write the lower part resembling a simplified 木
Example Sentences
Japanese: 来年、日本に行きます。
Kana: らいねん、にほんにいきます。
Romaji: Rainen, Nihon ni ikimasu.
English: I will go to Japan next year.
Japanese: 私は二十年生まれです。
Kana: わたしはにじゅうねんうまれです。
Romaji: Watashi wa nijuu nen umare desu.
English: I was born in the 20th year (of the era).
Japanese: 去年は大変な年でした。
Kana: きょねんはたいへんなとしでした。
Romaji: Kyonen wa taihen na toshi deshita.
English: Last year was a tough year.
Vocabulary Using 年
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 年 | とし | year |
| 一年 | いちねん | one year |
| 今年 | ことし | this year |
| 来年 | らいねん | next year |
| 去年 | きょねん | last year |
🔗 N5 Grammar & Vocabulary
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