年間

ねんかん

year

JLPT N3

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

"年間" (ねんかん) refers to a period of one year, often used to describe something measured or occurring over the span of a year. It is commonly used in formal and business contexts, such as annual sales, annual reports, or yearly statistics.

Common Collocations

  • 年間売上 (ねんかんうりあげ): annual sales
  • 年間計画 (ねんかんけいかく): annual plan
  • 年間パスポート: annual passport or pass
  • 年間を通して: throughout the year

Usage Notes

When using "年間," it emphasizes the entire duration of one year rather than a specific date or moment. It is often paired with numbers or quantities to express totals or averages over a year.

Be careful not to confuse "年間" with "年" alone, which simply means "year" but does not necessarily imply a duration or period. "年間" always implies a continuous span of time.

Register and Politeness

"年間" is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it is more common in written and business Japanese than in casual conversation.

Example Sentences

このかいしゃのねんかんうりあげはいちおくえんです。

This company's annual sales are 100 million yen.

ねんかんをとおしててんきがあんていしています。

The weather is stable throughout the year.

ねんかんパスポートをかうと、なんどでもにゅうじょうできます。

If you buy an annual passport, you can enter as many times as you want.