上世纪

上世紀

shàngshìjì

noun

Meanings

1 the last century
2 the previous century (i.e. the 20th century, from a 21st-century viewpoint)

Characters

previous; above

era; generation

Examples

这座建筑建于上世纪五十年代。

Zhè zuò jiànzhù jiàn yú shàngshìjì wǔshí niándài.

This building was built in the 1950s (last century).

上世纪九十年代中国经济开始腾飞。

Shàngshìjì jiǔshí niándài Zhōngguó jīngjì kāishǐ téngfēi.

In the 1990s (last century) China's economy began to take off.

Tips

usage

As of 2026, 上世纪 refers specifically to the 20th century. Common in news and historical writing: 上世纪X十年代 = 'the X0s of last century', i.e. 上世纪八十年代 = 'the 1980s'. This decade-naming pattern is preferred over simply '1980s' in Chinese prose.

Stroke Order

上 shàng

世 shì

纪 jì