長年・永年|ながねんnaganen[0]heiban (flat)

1. noun, adverbmany years; a long time
   彼かれは外国がいこくに長年ながねん住すんでいた。↗

   He lived abroad for many years.

• Synonym多年たねんWrittenWritten/formal prose for many years, as in 「多年の経験」「多年にわたる研究」; 長年 is the more common everyday choice.
• Synonym積年せきねんWrittenWritten/formal for years on end, as in 「積年の恨み」; it typically pairs with long-nursed grudges, hatred, or entrenched ills.
• Synonym長い間ながいあいだNeutralNeutral and common in daily speech for a long time, as in 「長い間お世話になりました」; unlike 長年, it is not limited to spans of years.
• Synonym長期ちょうきNeutralNeutral, long-term, as in 「長期計画」「長期入院」; it modifies nouns freely, while 長年 stresses the many years already past.
• Synonym永年えいねんWrittenWritten/formal, read えいねん, for many years, as in 「永年勤続」; it often carries a nuance of honoring long service.
• Related年月としつきNeutralNeutral, meaning months and years, as in 「長い年月」; it leans toward the feel of time passing rather than a count of years.
• Related長期間ちょうきかんNeutralNeutral, for a long period, as in 「長期間保存」; it centers on measuring how long the period is, not on years already gone.
• Antonym短期たんきNeutralNeutral antonym meaning short-term; it sits at the opposite end from 長年 in the length of time involved.
• Antonym一瞬いっしゅんNeutralNeutral antonym for an instant, the very opposite of the long years 長年 describes.
• Antonym暫時ざんじWrittenWritten/formal antonym meaning a short while; the opposite of 長年.

Use 「長年」 for many years or 'for years', as in 「長年の夢」「長年勤めた会社」. In written prose prefer 「多年」 or 「永年」; for long-held grudges use 「積年」. The opposites are 「短期」 and 「一瞬」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 長ながい年月としつき。永年えいねん。
2. 長寿ちょうじゅ。長命ちょうめい。
3. 成年せいねん。少壮しょうそうの年とし。
4. 年齢ねんれいを重かさねること。重年しげとし。
5. 年限ねんげんを重かさねて奉公ほうこうすること。重年しげとし。