1.
recent years; in recent years; lately
Refers to the past several years up to the present, used to introduce trends or changes that have emerged over a period of time.
近年、観光客が増えている。
In recent years, the number of tourists has been increasing.
近年の技術革新は目覚ましい。
Technological innovation in recent years has been remarkable.
近年、異常気象による被害が世界各地で深刻になっている。
In recent years, damage from extreme weather has become severe in various parts of the world.
Compound of 近 (near, recent) + 年 (year). Typically refers to a span of roughly 5-10 years. More formal than 最近, which can mean "recently" on any timescale.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 近年の傾向 (recent trends)
- 近年まれに見る (rarely seen in recent years)
- 近年急増している (rapidly increasing in recent years)
USAGE NOTE:
Often appears at the beginning of sentences to set a temporal frame. Primarily a written or formal-speech word. In casual conversation, 最近 or ここ数年 are preferred.