近代

jìndài
  1. the not-very-distant past
  2. modern times, excluding recent decades
  3. (in the context of Chinese history) the period from the Opium Wars until the May 4th Movement (mid-19th century to 1919)
  4. capitalist times (pre-1949)

CEDICT

Entry Composition

1 近 jìn
  1. near
  2. close to
  3. approximately
2 代 dài
  1. to be a substitute for; to act on behalf of; to replace; to substitute
  2. generation; dynasty; age; period; (historical) era; (geological) eon