岁月

suìyuè: 岁月 - The Passage of Time, Years, Time

Quick Summary

  • Keywords: suiyue, 岁月, meaning of suiyue, passage of time in Chinese, Chinese word for years, Chinese nostalgia, 岁月如梭, 岁月不饶人, Chinese poetry, learn Chinese, HSK 5 vocabulary.
  • Summary: Discover the meaning of 岁月 (suìyuè), a beautiful and poetic Chinese word that means far more than just “years.” It represents the profound, emotional “passage of time,” often tinged with nostalgia, wisdom, and the weight of experience. This page will explore its cultural significance, break down its characters, and provide practical examples to help you use this evocative term to talk about life, memories, and history like a native speaker.

Core Meaning

  • Pinyin (with tone marks): suìyuè
  • Part of Speech: Noun
  • HSK Level: HSK 5
  • Concise Definition: The years of a person's life or a period of time, especially when viewed with emotion or reflection.
  • In a Nutshell: While 岁月 (suìyuè) can be translated as “years,” it's not a word for counting. It's a word for feeling. Think of it as the “river of time” that carries our lives along. You use 岁月 when you look at an old photograph, listen to a song from your youth, or reflect on the changes you've seen in yourself or the world. It’s about the collective weight and texture of time, not just the number on a calendar.

Character Breakdown

  • 岁 (suì): This character means “year” or “age.” It signifies a full cycle, a unit used to measure a lifetime or a long duration.
  • 月 (yuè): This character is a pictogram of the moon, meaning “moon” or “month.” It represents the smaller, repeating cycles within a year.
  • Together, 岁月 (suìyuè) combines “years” and “months” to create a term that encompasses the entirety of passing time, from the small moments to the grand sweep of life. It’s the literary equivalent of saying “the days and the years” to evoke a sense of a long, continuous journey.

Cultural Context and Significance

  • In Chinese culture, there is a deep reverence for history, memory, and the lessons that time teaches. 岁月 (suìyuè) is a key term that encapsulates this perspective. It acknowledges that time isn't just a neutral force; it leaves its mark (痕迹 - hénjì) on people, places, and things, shaping them and imbuing them with character and wisdom.
  • Western Comparison: In English, we might say “the years went by.” This is a neutral statement of fact. The Chinese equivalent using 岁月 might be `岁月流逝 (suìyuè liúshì)`, which feels more like “the river of time flows on.” The English word “years” is a container for time, while 岁月 is the substance of time itself—the experiences, changes, joys, and sorrows. It's the difference between a calendar and a diary.
  • Related Values: The term is deeply connected to values like respect for elders (whose faces show the marks of 岁月), the bittersweet nature of nostalgia (怀旧 - huáijiù), and a philosophical acceptance of impermanence and change.

Practical Usage in Modern China

  • Literary and Artistic Contexts: 岁月 is extremely common in song lyrics, poetry, book titles, and movie scripts. It instantly sets a reflective, nostalgic, or epic tone.
  • Formal Speeches: You might hear it used in speeches about a company's anniversary or a national holiday to discuss a long period of development or history.
  • Everyday Nostalgia: While it's a literary term, it's also used in heartfelt, everyday conversations. An older person might look at their grandchildren and sigh, remarking on the passage of 岁月. It's the perfect word for a caption on a “throwback” social media post.
  • Connotation: The connotation is almost always emotional and reflective. It can be positive (remembering the “golden years” - `黄金岁月`), negative (lamenting wasted years - `虚度岁月`), or simply bittersweet and philosophical. It is more formal and poetic than simply saying `年 (nián)`.

Example Sentences

  • Example 1:
    • 他的脸上刻满了岁月的痕迹。
    • Pinyin: Tā de liǎn shàng kè mǎnle suìyuè de hénjì.
    • English: His face is etched with the marks of time (the years).
    • Analysis: This is a classic, almost cliché phrase. It poetically describes wrinkles and other signs of aging as a testament to a long life filled with experience, rather than just a physical trait.
  • Example 2:
    • 岁月如梭，转眼我们都毕业十年了。
    • Pinyin: Suìyuè rúsuō, zhuǎnyǎn wǒmen dōu bìyè shí niánle.
    • English: The years fly by like a shuttle; in the blink of an eye, it's been ten years since we graduated.
    • Analysis: `岁月如梭 (suìyuè rúsuō)` is a very common four-character idiom (chengyu). It's a classic way to express how quickly time seems to pass when you look back.
  • Example 3:
    • 我非常怀念那段无忧无虑的岁月。
    • Pinyin: Wǒ fēicháng huáiniàn nà duàn wú yōu wú lǜ de suìyuè.
    • English: I really miss that period of carefree years.
    • Analysis: Here, 岁月 refers to a specific era in one's life, in this case, a happy and carefree one like childhood or university. It frames that time as a precious, distinct chapter.
  • Example 4:
    • 看着镜子里的白发，他感叹岁月不饶人。
    • Pinyin: Kànzhe jìngzi lǐ de bái fà, tā gǎntàn suìyuè bù ráorén.
    • English: Looking at the white hair in the mirror, he lamented that time is unforgiving.
    • Analysis: Another extremely common idiom, `岁月不饶人 (suìyuè bù ráorén)` literally means “the years don't forgive people.” It's a sigh of resignation about aging and the inevitable effects of time.
  • Example 5:
    • 在那段艰苦的岁月里，他们互相支持，从未放弃。
    • Pinyin: Zài nà duàn jiānkǔ de suìyuè lǐ, tāmen hùxiāng zhīchí, cóng wèi fàngqì.
    • English: During those difficult years, they supported each other and never gave up.
    • Analysis: This shows that 岁月 isn't just for happy nostalgia. It can also describe a long period of hardship, adding a sense of weight and endurance to the experience.
  • Example 6:
    • 这首歌承载了我们青春的岁月。
    • Pinyin: Zhè shǒu gē chéngzàile wǒmen qīngchūn de suìyuè.
    • English: This song carries the memories of our youth.
    • Analysis: This sentence perfectly illustrates the emotional and memory-laden nature of 岁月. The years aren't just a duration; they are something that can be “carried” by an object or a piece of art.
  • Example 7:
    • 经过岁月的沉淀，他的性格变得更加沉稳了。
    • Pinyin: Jīngguò suìyuè de chèndiàn, tā de xìnggé biàn dé gèngjiā chénwěnle.
    • English: After being tempered by the years, his personality has become much more calm and steady.
    • Analysis: `沉淀 (chèndiàn)` means “to settle” or “precipitate.” This metaphor beautifully describes how time can filter out impulsiveness, leaving behind wisdom and maturity.
  • Example 8:
    • 战争给那一代人留下了不可磨灭的岁月记忆。
    • Pinyin: Zhànzhēng gěi nà yīdài rén liú xiàle bùkě mómiè de suìyuè jìyì.
    • English: The war left an indelible memory of those years on that generation.
    • Analysis: Here, 岁月 refers to a shared historical period. The term elevates the memory from a simple historical fact to a profound, collective experience.
  • Example 9:
    • 让我们举杯，敬我们一起走过的岁月！
    • Pinyin: Ràng wǒmen jǔ bēi, jìng wǒmen yīqǐ zǒuguò de suìyuè!
    • English: Let's raise our glasses and toast to the years we've been through together!
    • Analysis: This is a common phrase in toasts at reunions or celebrations. It's a way of honoring a shared journey and history with friends or colleagues.
  • Example 10:
    • 他后悔自己虚度了那么多宝贵的岁月。
    • Pinyin: Tā hòuhuǐ zìjǐ xūdùle nàme duō bǎoguì de suìyuè.
    • English: He regrets that he wasted so many precious years.
    • Analysis: `虚度 (xūdù)` means “to waste” or “spend in vain.” This shows the negative potential of 岁月, framing time as a valuable, non-renewable resource that can be squandered.

Nuances and Common Mistakes

  • Don't Use It for Counting: This is the most critical rule. 岁月 is for describing the quality and feeling of time, not the quantity.
    • Incorrect: 我在北京住了五岁月。
    • Correct: 我在北京住了五年。 (Wǒ zài Běijīng zhùle wǔ nián. - I lived in Beijing for five years.)
  • `岁月 (suìyuè)` vs. `时间 (shíjiān)`:
    • `时间 (shíjiān)` is the general, neutral word for “time.” It's what you measure with a clock. Use it for schedules, duration, and abstract concepts of time. (e.g., 我没有时间 - I don't have time.)
    • `岁月 (suìyuè)` is the lived, experienced, emotional passage of years. It’s what you reflect on. You can't “run out of 岁月” in the same way you “run out of 时间.”
  • `岁月 (suìyuè)` vs. `年代 (niándài)`:
    • `年代 (niándài)` refers to a specific historical era or decade. It's a label for a block of time. (e.g., 九十年代 - the 1990s).
    • `岁月 (suìyuè)` is a continuous, often personal, flow of time. It's the experience within and across those decades.

Related Terms and Concepts

  • 时间 (shíjiān) - The neutral, general word for “time.”
  • 时光 (shíguāng) - Similar to 岁月, but often lighter and focused on a beautiful, cherished period of time. “Good times,” “a moment in time.”
  • 光阴 (guāngyīn) - A literary term for “time,” literally “light and shadow,” emphasizing how quickly it passes. Used in the idiom `一寸光阴一寸金 (yīcùn guāngyīn yīcùn jīn)` - “An inch of time is worth an inch of gold.”
  • 青春 (qīngchūn) - Youth; the specific, vibrant 岁月 of a person's young life.
  • 回忆 (huíyì) - Memory; the intangible product left behind by the passage of 岁月.
  • 怀旧 (huáijiù) - Nostalgia; the act of looking back fondly on past 岁月.
  • 年代 (niándài) - An era or a decade; a specific, defined block of historical time.
  • 岁月如梭 (suìyuè rúsuō) - (Idiom) Time flies like a shuttle; a classic way to express the swift passage of time.
  • 岁月不饶人 (suìyuè bù ráorén) - (Idiom) The years are unforgiving; a common sigh about the effects of aging.