前年 qián nián
“the year before last”
time word2021 list level 2
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
前年 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 805: 前年 qiánnián — Level 3; official annotation 3 (名). PDF page 100
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 前年
前年 is a time noun meaning "the year before last," i.e. two years before the current year. It can come before the subject as a topic or after the subject before the verb, and it does not take a measure word. Use it like other time words such as 去年 and 明年.
例句Example sentences
- 前年我大学毕业，开始在这家公司工作。qián nián wǒ dà xué bì yè, kāi shǐ zài zhè jiā gōng sī gōng zuò.The year before last, I graduated from university and started working at this company.
- 我们是前年在上海认识的。wǒ men shì qián nián zài shàng hǎi rèn shi de.We met in Shanghai the year before last.
- 前年的冬天特别冷。qián nián de dōng tiān tè bié lěng.The winter of the year before last was especially cold.
易混词Easily confused
前年vs去年
去年 means "last year" (one year before the current year), while 前年 means "the year before last" (two years before the current year).