今夕是何年

jīn xī shì hé nián

quotation

Meanings

1 what year is this tonight?
2 a wondering, dreamlike question to the heavens
3 lit. this-night is what-year

Characters

Examples

HSK 7-9

仰望星空，他忽然有种不知今夕是何年的感觉。

Yǎngwàng xīngkōng, tā hūrán yǒu zhǒng bùzhī jīnxīshìhénián de gǎnjué.

Gazing up at the starry sky, he suddenly had the feeling of "not knowing what year this night is".

HSK 7-9

穿越剧里常出现今夕是何年的桥段。

Chuānyuè jù lǐ cháng chūxiàn jīnxīshìhénián de qiáoduàn.

Time-travel dramas often include the moment of "what year is it tonight?".

Tips

history

From Su Shi's 苏轼 (Northern Song) 《水调歌头·明月几时有》: 明月几时有？把酒问青天。不知天上宫阙，今夕是何年 - 'When did the bright moon first appear? I raise my cup and ask the blue sky. I do not know: in those heavenly palaces, what year is this night?' From the same ci that gave us 人有悲欢离合.

usage

Frequently invoked in modern Chinese in reunion speeches, Mid-Autumn festival posts, or whenever a scene feels dreamlike and out of time.

Stroke Order

今 jīn

夕 xī

是 shì

何 hé

年 nián