Understanding 年頭 in context As part of my efforts to improve my Chinese, I read various books. I just started one. In the first sentences, the author uses 年頭 instead of 時期。I searched the dictionary and found various meanings:


start of the year 
period 
epoch 
days
year's harvest 


Do I understand correctly, that here it means period? 


  This is the first of the periods I spent in France for advanced studies. 


Does it differ from other "periods", such as 時間，時期？
年头 just means year in this sentence。

I think this online dictionary will help you.

http://www.zdic.net/c/4/4/8606.htm

◎ 年头，年头儿 niántóu,niántóur

(1) [year]∶年份

我到北京已经三个年头了。

(2) [years]∶时代;年月

这年头工人农民的生活好起来了。

(3) [harvest]∶年成;年景

今年又是丰收的好年头。