Translation and Meaning of: 年 - toshi

The Japanese word 年[とし] is a fundamental term for anyone studying the language or interested in Japanese culture. It appears in various contexts, from everyday conversations to profound cultural expressions. In this article, we will explore its meaning, origins, and practical uses, as well as curiosities that help to understand how the Japanese perceive the concept of "year" or "age." If you want to truly learn Japanese, knowing words like this is essential.

Meaning and uses of 年 [とし]

In its most basic form, 年[とし] means "year," but its use goes beyond simple time counting. It can also refer to a person's age, as in "年を取る" (to grow old). This duality of meaning is common in Japanese and reflects how time and maturity are interconnected in the Japanese mindset.

In formal contexts, such as documents or news, 年 often appears alongside other kanji to form compound words. For example, 年間 [ねんかん] (period of a year) or 新年 [しんねん] (new year). In colloquial speech, Japanese people frequently use とし alone, especially when talking about age or annual events.

Origin and writing of the kanji 年

The kanji 年 has an interesting history. Originally, in ancient China, it represented a person carrying a harvest, symbolizing the passage of an agricultural cycle. Over time, this meaning expanded to encompass the general concept of "year." In Japan, the character maintained this relationship with time and gathering.

Regarding writing, 年 is composed of 6 strokes and belongs to the group of kanjis taught in the first year of Japanese elementary school. Its most common reading is ねん in compounds and とし when used alone. Memorizing this kanji becomes easier if you associate it with the idea of complete cycles, whether of harvests or years of life.

Cultural curiosities about 年

In Japan, the passage of years is marked by important rituals. New Year's Eve, for example, is called 大晦日[おおみそか] (literally "last day of the year") and involves traditions such as eating soba and visiting temples. The word 年 appears in many of these celebrations, highlighting its cultural significance.

Another interesting aspect is how the Japanese view aging. Unlike some Western cultures, where advanced age may be a taboo, in Japan expressions like 年配[ねんぱい] (elderly person) carry a sense of respect. This reflects deep social values about experience and wisdom accumulated over the years.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 歳 (sai) - age (usually used to indicate a person's age)
• とし (toshi) - year, age (used in more informal contexts or when counting years)
• ねん (nen) - year (more formal use or in terms of time and calendar)

年

Romaji: toshi
Kana: とし
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n5

Translation / Meaning: year; age

Meaning in English: year;age

Definition: The cycle in which things happen. 365 days.

Example Sentences - (年) toshi

See below some example sentences:

青年は未来の希望です。

Seinen wa mirai no kibou desu

Young people are the hope for the future.

Youth is the future hope.

• 青年 (seinen) - means "young" or "youth"
• は (wa) - a grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "young person"
• 未来 (mirai) - means "future"
• の (no) - grammatical particle that indicates possession, in this case, "of the future"
• 希望 (kibou) - means "hope" or "expectation"
• です (desu) - the verb "to be" in the polite and formal form

私たちは毎年春に畑を耕します。

Watashitachi wa maitoshi haru ni hatake o tagayasu shimasu

We plow the field every year in the spring.

We plow the fields every spring.

• 私たちは - Personal pronoun "we"
• 毎年 - adverb of frequency "every year"
• 春に - noun "spring" + time particle "in spring"
• 畑を - noun "field" + direct object particle "the field"
• 耕します - verb "arar" conjugated in the present "aramos"

私の生年月日は何ですか？

Watashi no seinen gappi wa nan desu ka?

What is my date of birth?

What is my date of birth?

• 私 - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• の - Japanese particle that indicates possession or relationship
• 生年月日 - Japanese compound noun meaning "date of birth"
• は - Japanese particle indicating the subject of the sentence
• 何 - Japanese interrogative pronoun meaning "what"
• ですか - Japanese expression indicating a polite question

私の年齢は二十五歳です。

Watashi no nenrei wa nijuugosai desu

My age is 25 years old.

My age is 25 years old.

• 私 - personal pronoun that means "I"
• の - particle that indicates possession or belonging
• 年齢 - noun that means "age"
• は - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• 二十五 - numeral meaning "25"
• 歳 - suffix that indicates "years old"
• です - verb "to be" in the present affirmative

私は万年筆で手紙を書くのが好きです。

Watashi wa mannenhitsu de tegami o kaku no ga suki desu

I like to write a letter with a fountain pen.

I like to write a letter with a fountain pen.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - particle that marks the topic of the sentence
• 万年筆 (mannenhitsu) - noun meaning "fountain pen"
• で (de) - particle that indicates the means or tool used
• 手紙 (tegami) - noun meaning "letter"
• を (wo) - Particle that marks the direct object of the sentence
• 書く (kaku) - Verb meaning "to write"
• の (no) - particle indicating the nominalization of the verb
• が (ga) - Particle that marks the subject of the sentence
• 好き (suki) - The adjective that means "to like" is "gostoso" or "agradável."
• です (desu) - linking verb that indicates formality and the present tense

未満の年齢は飲酒禁止です。

Miman no nenrei wa inshukinshi desu

Consumption of alcohol is prohibited for minors.

Drinking is prohibited for the age of under.

• 未満の年齢 - age below
• は - Topic particle
• 飲酒禁止 - prohibited from drinking alcohol
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

年中無休

nenjuu mukyuu

Open all year

Open all year

• 年中 (nenju) - all year round
• 無休 (mukyuu) - without closing

去年の夏はとても暑かったです。

Kyonen no natsu wa totemo atsukatta desu

Last summer was very hot.

It was very hot last summer.

• 去年 - Last year
• の - Possession particle
• 夏 - summer
• は - Topic particle
• とても - very
• 暑かった - hot
• です - polite way of being

卯年は兎年とも呼ばれます。

U年はうさぎ年ともよばれます。

The rabbit year is also called the rabbit year.

The rabbit year is also called the rabbit year.

• 卯年 - year of the rabbit in the Chinese calendar
• は - Topic particle
• 兎年 - year of the rabbit in the Japanese calendar
• とも - also
• 呼ばれます - is called

1年間は365日あります。

Ichinenkan wa sanbyakurokujūgonichi arimasu

One year has 365 days.

One year is 365 days.

• 1年間 - Indicate a period of one year
• は - Topic marking particle
• 365日 - Indicates the number of days in a year
• あります - verb "exist" in polite form