The word **陈年** (chénnián) is a compound adjective formed by combining the character **陈** (chén), which means "to lay out," "to display," or, more pertinently, "old" or "stale" (implying something that has been in place for a long time), with the character **年** (nián), meaning "year." Together, they create a metaphorical concept where **陈** describes the state or quality bestowed by the passage of time (**年**), literally meaning "laid out/stored for years." It is most commonly used to describe substances like wine, vinegar, or stories that have been aged or stored for a long time, implying they have developed a mature, often superior, character through this extended duration.