Usage note
当年表示过去某一年，常有回忆意味。
dāng nián biǎo shì guò qù mǒu yì nián， cháng yǒu huí yì yì wèi。
当年 means that year in the past, often with a sense of memory.
Context note
当年常用于回忆、故事和比较。
dāng nián cháng yòng yú huí yì 、 gù shì hé bǐ jiào。
It is often used for memories, stories, and comparison.
5 examples
当年他很年轻。
dāng nián tā hěn nián qīng。
He was very young that year.
当年这里很热闹。
dāng nián zhè lǐ hěn rè nào。
This place was lively that year.
当年我还在上学。
dāng nián wǒ hái zài shàng xué。
I was still in school that year.
当年的照片还在。
dāng nián de zhào piàn hái zài。
The photos from that year are still there.
当年他们认识得很早。
dāng nián tā men rèn shi dé hěn zǎo。
They knew each other early that year.
5 mini stories
当年老师常常来这里。
dāng nián lǎo shī cháng cháng lái zhè lǐ。
The teacher used to come here often that year.
当年这条路还很窄。
dāng nián zhè tiáo lù hái hěn zhǎi。
The road was still very narrow that year.
他当年参加了很多活动。
tā dāng nián cān jiā le hěn duō huó dòng。
He took part in many activities that year.
当年的故事孩子们都爱听。
dāng nián de gù shì hái zi men dōu ài tīng。
The stories from that year were loved by the children.
她常常回忆当年的校园生活。
tā cháng cháng huí yì dāng nián de xiào yuán shēng huó。
She often recalls campus life from that year.
Mini dialogue
回忆学校
A
当年我们是一年级的同学。
Dāngnián wǒmen shì yī niánjí de tóngxué.
That year we were first-grade classmates.
B
是啊，当年你坐在我旁边。
Shì a, dāngnián nǐ zuò zài wǒ pángbiān.
Yes, that year you sat next to me.
看老照片
A
这张照片是当年拍的。
Zhè zhāng zhàopiàn shì dāngnián pāi de.
This photo was taken that year.
B
当年大家都好小啊。
Dāngnián dàjiā dōu hǎo xiǎo a.
That year everyone was so little.
Related words and contrasts
similar
那时
nà shí
at that time
当年 emphasizes a specific past year, while 那时 is more general for 'at that time'.
opposite
如今
rú jīn
nowadays
当年 refers to a past year, while 如今 refers to the present time.