年代 (nián dài) — a decade of a century in Mandarin

nián​ dài
“a decade of a century”

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#495 most common word · HSK 5 · CEFR C1

Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.

Tone breakdown

年代 is pronounced nián dài. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.

nián
second tone (rising, ˊ)
dài
fourth tone (sharp falling, ˋ)

In a sentence

Wǒ zǔ fu zài èr shí shì jì wǔ shí nián dài chū shēng de.

My grandfather was born in the 1950s.

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Frequently asked questions

What does 年代 mean?+

年代 (nián dài) means "a decade of a century" in Mandarin Chinese.

How do you pronounce 年代?+

年代 is pronounced nián dài. It uses the tone 2 (rising), then the tone 4 (falling). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.

How common is 年代 in Mandarin?+

年代 is the #495 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.

Where 年代 fits

HSK 5 · CEFR C1
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