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Usages of nián
他 在 这 个 城市 住 了 三 年 了。tā zài zhè gè chéngshì zhù le sān nián le.
He has lived in this city for three years.
她 学 中文 学 了 两 年 了， 成绩 已经 很 好 了。tā xué zhōngwén xué le liǎng nián le, chéngjì yǐjīng hěn hǎo le.
She has studied Chinese for two years, and her grades are already very good.
他 来到 这 个 城市 已经 三 年 了。tā láidào zhè gè chéngshì yǐjīng sān nián le.
He came to this city three years ago.
Test yourself: What does nián mean?
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“How do tones work in Chinese?”
Mandarin Chinese has four main tones plus a neutral tone. The same syllable can mean completely different things depending on the tone — for example, "mā" (mother), "má" (hemp), "mǎ" (horse), and "mà" (scold). Mastering tones is essential for being understood.
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