<p>We call it <code>'间隔年'</code> in Chinese. And there are some books telling stories about the gap year experience of chinese young guys. You can find them on amazon, for example <a href="http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B002OED6QK/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i1_gs9w" rel="nofollow noreferrer">'迟到的间隔年'</a> <a href="http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B002OED6QK/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i1_gs9w" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B002OED6QK/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i1_gs9w</a>  ('A gap year for being late' translated in English) .</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-12T04:38:05.000Z
2014-10-12T04:44:44.517Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Henry
<p>I don't think there is a 'clear' translation because of the culture difference behind it. Chinese people don't take a gap year until very recently and the few who do are still considered rebel by many. It hasn't become that popular yet to have a well-known terminology. In some circles it's just called <code>gap year</code>, <code>gap年</code> or <code>间隔年</code>.</p>
<p><code>间隔年</code> is probably the best option for now, but you may still want to define or explain it to the audience beforehand. This translation has actually made its entry on <a href="http://baike.baidu.com/view/1637881.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Baidu Baike</a> and appeared in a book title <a href="http://baike.baidu.com/view/2804451.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">迟到的间隔年</a>.</p>
<p>You can see how some people still refer to the concept as 'gap year' in discussions like <a href="http://www.douban.com/group/topic/34111494/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this</a>, which suggests the Chinese term hasn't got its full popularity yet.</p>
<p>As for the verb ('take'), I think the best context-free translation is <code>体验</code> (to experience). Depending on the context you can also use <code>开始</code> (to start) or <code>要</code> (to have). E.g.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>He decided to take a gap year after graduation. 他决定毕业后体验间隔年 (formal) or 他决定要个间隔年 (colloquial).</p>
<p>His friends took a gap year right after graduation, but he didn't. 他的朋友们一毕业就开始了间隔年，但是他没有。</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-12T14:50:50.987Z
How would you say "take" in this case then? 
"做个间隔年？“
Stephen
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-12T19:24:47.330Z
@Stephen 做个间隔年 doesn't sound good. Depending on the context you can say 开始间隔年 or 体验间隔年. See my update to the answer.
NS.X.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-16T00:37:25.933Z
If I need to say "I'll take a gap year before college," I would say "大学前我间隔了一年" and use 间隔 as a verb.
Timothy Gu
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-11T23:15:34.153Z
2014-10-12T19:35:04.393Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
NS.X.
<p>Is there a clear translation for the phrase "Take a gap year" (i.e. take a year off between your last year of high school and college (often for travel, work, etc.))?</p>

<translation><word>
How do you say "To take a gap year"?
# How do you say "To take a gap year"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-10-11)

Is there a clear translation for the phrase "Take a gap year" (i.e. take a year off between your last year of high school and college (often for travel, work, etc.))?

**Tags:** translation, word


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-10-11. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

I don't think there is a 'clear' translation because of the culture difference behind it. Chinese people don't take a gap year until very recently and the few who do are still considered rebel by many. It hasn't become that popular yet to have a well-known terminology. In some circles it's just called `gap year`, `gap年` or `间隔年`.

`间隔年` is probably the best option for now, but you may still want to define or explain it to the audience beforehand. This translation has actually made its entry on [Baidu Baike](http://baike.baidu.com/view/1637881.htm) and appeared in a book title [迟到的间隔年](http://baike.baidu.com/view/2804451.htm).

You can see how some people still refer to the concept as 'gap year' in discussions like [this](http://www.douban.com/group/topic/34111494/), which suggests the Chinese term hasn't got its full popularity yet.

As for the verb ('take'), I think the best context-free translation is `体验` (to experience). Depending on the context you can also use `开始` (to start) or `要` (to have). E.g.

> He decided to take a gap year after graduation. 他决定毕业后体验间隔年 (formal) or 他决定要个间隔年 (colloquial).
>
> His friends took a gap year right after graduation, but he didn't. 他的朋友们一毕业就开始了间隔年，但是他没有。

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: How would you say "take" in this case then?  "做个间隔年？“  
> **username_2**: @username_0 做个间隔年 doesn't sound good. Depending on the context you can say 开始间隔年 or 体验间隔年. See my update to the answer.  
> **username_3**: If I need to say "I'll take a gap year before college," I would say "大学前我间隔了一年" and use 间隔 as a verb.  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2014-10-12. Score: 1

We call it `'间隔年'` in Chinese. And there are some books telling stories about the gap year experience of chinese young guys. You can find them on amazon, for example ['迟到的间隔年'](http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B002OED6QK/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i1_gs9w) <http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B002OED6QK/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i1_gs9w> ('A gap year for being late' translated in English) .


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