years
[jˈɪrz] /ˈyir How to pronounce year (audio)/ (ame, mw)
years — 名詞
1. each of the twelve-month stretches starting in January and ending in December th
年；年份
從一月到十二月十二個月的期間
each of the twelve-month stretches starting in January and ending in December that are used to organize the calendar and track how long things last.
The Olympic Games are held every four years in a different city around the world.
奧運會每四年在世界不同城市舉辦一次。
phrase: every [number] years
Madison moved to Canada ten years ago and has lived in Toronto ever since.
Madison 十年前搬到加拿大，之後就一直住在多倫多。
phrase: [number] years ago
Over the past five years, the number of visitors to the national park has doubled.
過去五年來，前往國家公園的遊客人數增加了一倍。
The building contract runs for three years, starting next January.
這份建築合約為期三年，從明年一月開始。
Chiara kept a diary every day for two years while living in Kyoto.
Chiara 住在京都期間，每天寫日記，連續寫了兩年。
文法句型
number + years
in/during/over + years
years + ago/later/before
用法筆記
Commonly paired with number words (five years, several years, ten years) and time prepositions (in, during, over, within, for). Often used with 'ago' to refer to the past or 'later' to refer to the future.
常見錯誤
2. the roughly nine-month teaching period during which schools, colleges, and unive
學年
學校或大學授課的期間
the roughly nine-month teaching period during which schools, colleges, and universities hold classes each calendar year.
In Japan, the school years begin in April and end the following March.
在日本的學年從四月開始，到隔年三月結束。
collocation: school year(s)
The university divides its academic years into two semesters, with exams in December and May.
該大學將學年分為兩個學期，考試分別在十二月和五月。
collocation: academic year(s)
Many students look for summer jobs when their school years end in June.
很多學生在學年於六月結束時尋找暑期工作。
Teachers spend the weeks before each academic year begins, preparing their lesson plans.
老師們在每個學年開始前的幾週準備教案。
Gita's final years of high school were busy with college applications and exams.
Gita 高中最後幾年忙於申請大學和準備考試。
文法句型
[possessive] + years [at/at/in]
the + school/academic + years
用法筆記
Distinguish from Sense 3: this sense is specifically about education — the period when teaching happens, not the financial or administrative cycle. Common in phrases like 'school year,' 'academic year,' 'first year of university.'
常見錯誤
3. a twelve-month span counted from a chosen starting point and used for a consiste
年度
針對某特定活動計算的十二個月期間
a twelve-month span counted from a chosen starting point and used for a consistent purpose, such as running a business, farming, or managing government budgets.
Both companies' financial years end on March 31, making tax filing simpler.
兩家公司的財務年度都在三月三十一日結束，使報稅更簡單。
collocation: financial year(s)
Farmers in this region count their growing years from the first spring rain each March.
這個地區的農民以每年三月第一場春雨來計算他們的種植年度。
collocation: growing year(s)
Noa's department is reviewing the budget for the next two fiscal years.
Noa 的部門正在審查未來兩個財政年度的預算。
The last two tax years had very different rules for claiming home-office expenses.
過去兩個課稅年度對於申報居家辦公費用的規定截然不同。
Businesses often set their sales targets at the start of new trading years.
企業通常在新的交易年度開始時設定銷售目標。
文法句型
[modifier] + years
the + [modifier] + year
用法筆記
Typically paired with a modifier that names the context (financial year, tax year, growing year, academic year). The starting month varies by country and purpose — for example, the UK tax year begins April 6, while school years often start in September.
常見錯誤
4. the students that enroll at a school, college, or university in the same intake
年級；屆
同年入學的學生群體
the students that enroll at a school, college, or university in the same intake and move through their course of study together.
The 2024 cohort and the 2023 group were the two largest years the college had ever seen.
2024 年屆和 2023 年屆是該學院有史以來人數最多的兩個年級。
British usage: the [year] year/cohort
Femi and his cousin belong to different years at the medical school in Lagos.
Femi 和他的表弟在拉哥斯醫學院屬於不同年級。
The older years in the school often help the younger ones with their studies.
學校裡高年級學生常幫助低年級學生學習。
Both the 2023 and 2024 years were praised by the head teacher for their hard work.
2023 和 2024 兩個年級都因用功而受到校長表揚。
Selim was voted class president by members of his year during the first week of school.
Selim 在開學第一週被同年級的同學選為班長。
- class
common in US English for a student cohort ('the class of 2025')
- grade
American term for the level of school, not the cohort itself
- year group
more explicit synonym, common in UK schools
文法句型
the + [year] + of + [graduation year]
[ordinal] + years
the + class/year + of + [year]
用法筆記
Particularly common in British English. In the US, 'class of [year]' or 'grade' is more usual. Example: 'the Class of 2025' vs. 'the 2024 year.' The phrase 'year group' is also common in UK schools.
常見錯誤
5. the number of twelve-month periods that a person has lived, or a particular peri
年紀；歲數
人的年齡或一生中的某段時期
the number of twelve-month periods that a person has lived, or a particular period in a person's life considered as a whole.
Hao is twenty-two years old and just started his first job in Seoul.
Hao 二十二歲，剛在首爾開始他的第一份工作。
phrase: [number] years old
In her later years, Antonia spent most mornings reading in the garden.
Antonia 晚年時，年紀漸長，大部分早晨都在花園裡看書。
phrase: in [possessive] later years
Reuben spent his early years on a small farm before moving to the city.
Reuben 早年在一座小農場度過，後來才搬到城市。
Children under five years old can ride the bus for free on weekends.
不滿五歲的兒童在週末可以免費搭乘公車。
The doctor said that Joshua's healthy years ahead depend on eating well and exercising regularly.
醫生說 Joshua 未來健康的歲月取決於良好的飲食和規律的運動。
文法句型
[number] + years old
in [possessive] + [adjective] + years
years of [activity/state]
用法筆記
Frequently passive — this sense nearly always appears with a possessive adjective (my, his, her, their) or a number. 'Years old' is the standard way to state age in English. 'Early years' and 'later years' divide a person's life into broad stages.