dong1 nin4當年当年
Jyutpingdong1 nin4
Yaledōng nìhn
Definition
In those days; in those years; back then.
colloquialtime
How it's used
Evokes a sense of nostalgia or reflection on a specific past period. It often implies a contrast between the past and the present state of affairs, highlighting how things have changed since that time. It is frequently used when telling stories or reminiscing about one's youth or a significant historical moment.
Examples
We used to play here all the time back in the day.
Do you still remember what happened back then?
Related words
Common phrases
on this day in years past
as brave as one was back then
Common mistake
Avoid using this to refer to a specific calendar year like 2023. It refers to a period or a vague point in the past rather than a precise date, which would be better expressed using 嗰年.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
