老年人
lǎoniánrén
The English phrase 'senior' translates to Chinese as 老年人 (lǎoniánrén).
Meaning: older (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The term 老年人 is composed of 老 meaning old, 年 meaning years or age and 人 meaning person.
Which one should you use?
While 老年人 specifically refers to the demographic of 'the elderly', the term 老人 is a more general way to say 'old person'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Depending on the context, there are several ways to refer to seniors. 高龄人士 is a more formal and polite way to refer to senior citizens, often used in official documents or news reports. In a social or family context, 长辈 is a formal term used to refer to elders or seniors within Chinese society and 前辈 is a formal way to refer to someone who is older or more senior.
How do you pronounce it?
lǎoniánrén
Did you know?
- The character 老 can be used as a prefix to create nicknames for friends or colleagues, meaning it does not always imply old age but can signify familiarity or respect.
- In many Chinese cities, 老年人 have their own dedicated 'senior universities' where they study arts, calligraphy and technology for leisure.
- While 长辈 refers to seniors in a family hierarchy, it is common for people to treat non-relatives as 长辈 to show extreme respect and filial piety.
Examples in context
- 我很喜欢听前辈们的故事。I enjoy listening to the stories of seniors.
- 我们要尊重长辈的意见。We should respect the opinions of our seniors.
- 老一辈的人见证了很多历史瞬间。The older generation witnessed many historical moments.
- 公园里有很多老年人。Gōngyuán lǐ yǒu hěnduō lǎoniánrén.There are many seniors in the park.
- 我们要照顾好老年人。Wǒmen yào zhàogù hǎo lǎoniánrén.We should take good care of the elderly.
- 这些老年人很活跃。Zhèxiē lǎoniánrén hěn huóyuè.These seniors are very active.
Example conversation
A volunteer center where they discuss their work.
- 雨婷 Yuting俊杰，你今天要去帮哪些老年人？Jùnjié, nǐ jīntiān yào qù bāng nǎxiē lǎoniánrén?Junjie, which seniors are you going to help today?
- 俊杰 Junjie我要去帮社区里的几位老年人。Wǒ yào qù bāng shèqū lǐ de jǐ wèi lǎoniánrén.I am going to help a few seniors in the community.
- 雨婷 Yuting你真是个热心的志愿者。Nǐ zhēnshì gè rèxīn de zhìyuànzhě.You really are a warm-hearted volunteer.
- 俊杰 Junjie希望能让老年人开心一点。Xīwàng néng ràng lǎoniánrén kāixīn yīdiǎn.I hope I can make the seniors a bit happier.
