Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 高齢者 | kōreisha | [ko̞ːɾe̞ːɕa̠] (narrow) | |
| 年寄り | toshiyori | [to̞ɕijo̞ɾʲi] (narrow) | |
| お年寄り | o-toshiyori | honorific | |
| 老人 | rōjin | [ɾo̞ːʑĩɴ] (narrow) |
These terms are used to refer to old people or individuals of advanced age.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 高齢者 is composed of the characters 高 (high), 齢 (age) and 者 (person), literally meaning "high age person".
Which one should you use?
高齢者 is the standard, polite and often administrative term used in news, government or formal documents. In contrast, 老人 is a more clinical or literary term that can sometimes feel cold or dehumanizing. For everyday conversation, 年寄り is a more casual and common way to refer to an old person, though it can sound slightly blunt. Finally, シニア is a term borrowed from English that is more casual and used in everyday conversations.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
高齢者 is a common and neutral term for senior citizens used in formal situations. For a more respectful approach, you can use the honorific form お年寄り, which is the preferred way to refer to seniors when speaking to or about them politely. While 年寄り is used in daily conversation, it is more colloquial. If you need a term that emphasizes age for people who are aged but not necessarily retired, you might use 年配者.
How do you pronounce it?
kōreisha
Did you know?
- The term 老人 (rōjin) shares an ancient linguistic connection with the term *oe-pito found in the Proto-Ryukyuan languages of the Ryukyu Islands.
- The word 老人 (rōjin) is the root of the term 老人ホーム (rōjin hōmu), which is the standard word for a nursing home, despite the word's clinical and cold reputation.
- In some social contexts, calling someone a 年寄り (toshiyori) to their face can be seen as an insult because it emphasizes their decline rather than their wisdom.
Examples in context
- 彼女は老人に席を譲った。She gave her seat to a senior citizen.This sentence shows how to use the form 老人 to describe giving up a seat.Tatoeba #86203 by bunbuku, translation #388468 by CK
- 近年では、年配の人達を指すのに「高齢者」という用語をよく使う。Nowadays, we often use the term "senior citizen" to refer to old people.This sentence demonstrates the use of the form 高齢者 in a contemporary context regarding terminology.Tatoeba #2152142 by bunbuku, translation #1988447 by CK
- 彼女は尊敬すべき高齢者です。She is a respectable senior citizen.
- この施設は主に年配者向けです。This facility is mainly for senior citizens.
- この公園はお年寄りに人気のある場所です。This park is a popular place among senior citizens.
- シニア向けのクラブが最近オープンしました。A club for senior citizens recently opened.
- 高齢者向けの割引があります。Kōreisha muke no waribiki ga arimasu.There is a discount for senior citizens.
Example conversation
Daiki and Himari are discussing city services.
- 大翔 Hirotoこの施設は高齢者に優しいね。kono shisetsu wa kōreisha ni yasashii ne.This facility is friendly to senior citizens, isn't it?
- 陽葵 Himariそうだね。設備がとても整っているよ。sō da ne. setsubi ga totemo totonotte iru yo.It is. The equipment is very well-arranged.
- 大翔 Hiroto高齢者の利用者が多いみたいだ。kōreisha no riyōsha ga ooi mitai da.It seems there are many senior citizens using it.
- 陽葵 Himari便利だから人気なんだろうね。benri dakara ninki nan darō ne.It's probably popular because it's convenient.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “senior citizen” translations and entries 高齢者, 年寄り, 老人, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 老人, 高齢者, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
