当年 dāngnián in those days
in those days; back then; in those years; to be in the prime of life
怎么记住“当年”: 当 act as + 年 year = in those days.
汉字
用法
- Points back to a specific past era, framed nostalgically - 当年这里还是农田 (dāngnián zhèlǐ háishì nóngtián) back in those days this was still farmland.
- Note the reading: 当 is dāng (first tone) here. There is also a dàngnián (that same year) reading, but the common 'back then' sense is dāngnián.
- Unlike 以前 (yǐqián, before/earlier) which is neutral, 当年 evokes a golden or memorable time - often a person's prime: 他当年是个运动员 (tā dāngnián shì ge yùndòngyuán) he was an athlete in his heyday.