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Referring to the past with 当年 (dāngnián)
Structure
当年 + Clause
Explanation
当年 (dāngnián) means "in those days," "back then," or "that year" and is used to refer to a specific time in the past. It evokes a sense of nostalgia or historical comparison, often contrasting past events or states with the present. It typically appears at the beginning of a clause or before a verb phrase.
Examples
当年我们一起在北京上大学，日子过得很开心。
dāngnián wǒmen yìqǐ zài běijīng shàng dàxué, rìzi guò de hěn kāixīn.
Back then we attended university together in Beijing, and those were happy days.
这条街变化太大了，完全不是当年的样子了。
zhè tiáo jiē biànhuà tài dà le, wánquán bú shì dāngnián de yàngzi le.
This street has changed so much — it's completely different from what it was back then.
当年他还是个穷学生，现在已经开了自己的公司。
dāngnián tā háishi gè qióng xuéshēng, xiànzài yǐjīng kāi le zìjǐ de gōngsī.
Back then he was still a poor student, but now he has started his own company.