Meaning:

    “间隔” means “interval, gap,” and “年” is “year.” Translated as “gap year,” “间隔年” is a concept new to Chinese but has been popular with Western young people for a while. It refers to a period of time (not necessarily 12 months) in which people disengage from curricular education or work and undertake activities such as traveling, volunteering or working abroad. The practice developed in the United Kingdom in the 1960s. It has gained popularity among Chinese recently.

    Example:

    A: 你就快毕业了，工作找好了吗？

    Nǐ jìu kuài bìyè le, gōngzuò zhǎo hǎo le ma?

    You will graduate soon. Have you found a job?

    B: 我暂时不打算工作，明年是我的间隔年。西方国家的青年在毕业之后工作之前，通常做一次长期的旅行，一边了解社会一边思考人生。我想学学他们。

    Wǒ zànshí bù dǎsuàn gōngzuò, míngnián shì wǒ de jiàngénián。Xīfāng guójiā de qīngnián zài bìyè zhīhòu gōngzuò zhīqián, tōngcháng zuò yīcì chángqī de lǚxíng, yībiān liǎojiě shèhuì yībiān sīkǎo rénshēng。Wǒ xiǎng xuéxué tāmen。

    I am not in a hurry to find a job. Next year will be my gap year. Young people in the West often go on a long journey after graduation before their first official job. During the time they learn about society and think about life. I want to follow their practice.