年复一年

年復一年

niánfù-yīnián

idiom #17,364

Meanings

1 year after year
2 over the years

Characters

to repeat; again

Literally 'year repeats one year' — each year follows the last in an endless cycle.

Examples

年复一年，他始终坚持锻炼。

Niánfùyīnián, tā shǐzhōng jiānchí duànliàn.

Year after year, he has kept up his exercise routine.

年复一年，这座城市变化很大。

Niánfùyīnián, zhè zuò chéngshì biànhuà hěn dà.

Over the years, this city has changed enormously.

Tips

grammar

Follows the pattern X复一X: 日复一日 (rìfùyīrì, day after day), 月复一月 (yuèfùyīyuè, month after month). Always placed at the beginning of a clause as a time adverbial.

Stroke Order

年 nián

复 fù

一 yī