yuánnián

元年

Word · Noun

first year of reign; first year of era; first year of new system

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

3 senses · 5 examples
1.

noun

first year of a reign (of an emperor or feudal lord); first year after changing the era name

formal

Historical term referring to the beginning of an emperor's reign or the start of a new era name (nianhao).

Yǐn隐
gōng公
yuán元
nián年
fā发
shēng生
le了
zhòng重
yào要
shì事
jiàn件
 。

Important events occurred in the first year of Duke Yin's reign.

Zhēn贞
guān观
yuán元
nián年
 ，
Táng唐
cháo朝
kāi开
shǐ始
le了
xīn新
de的
zhì治
lǐ理
shí时
qī期
 。

In the first year of the Zhenguan era, the Tang Dynasty began a new period of governance.

2.

noun

first year of an era or calendar system; year one

neutral

Used for various calendar systems including Gregorian, Islamic, and others.

Gōng公
yuán元
yuán元
nián年
shì是
Yē耶
sū稣
dàn诞
shēng生
de的
nà那
yī一
nián年
 。

Year 1 of the Common Era is the traditional year of Jesus' birth.

Huí回
lì历
yuán元
nián年
xiāng相
dāng当
yú于
gōng公
yuán元
liù6
èr2
èr2
nián年
 。

The first year of the Islamic calendar corresponds to 622 CE.

3.

noun

first year of a new political system or major governmental reorganization

formal

Historical term indicating the beginning of a new political era or significant governmental change.

Zhōu周
dài代
gòng共
hé和
yuán元
nián年
biāo标
zhì志
zhe着
Zhōng中
guó国
què确
qiè切
jì纪
nián年
de的
kāi开
shǐ始
 。

The first year of the Republic in the Zhou Dynasty marks the beginning of precise Chinese chronology.