老兵
lǎobīng
The English word "veteran" can be translated into Mandarin in several ways depending on the context. The default form is 老兵 (lǎobīng). Wiktionary also lists 老將 / 老将 (lǎojiàng) and 退伍軍人 / 退伍军人 (tuìwǔ jūnrén).
Meaning: old soldier (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 老兵 | lǎobīng |
| 老將 / 老将 | lǎojiàng |
| 退伍軍人 / 退伍军人 | tuìwǔ jūnrén |
If you want to describe someone as a 'veteran' in a non-military sense, meaning they have a lot of experience in a specific field, you should use 经验丰富的 (jīngyàn fēngfù de) instead of a word for a soldier.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 老兵 is composed of 老 (old) and 兵 (soldier).
Which one should you use?
There are distinct differences between the forms: 老兵 can refer to an "old soldier" in a general or even poetic sense. 退伍军人 is the standard term for a person who has been discharged from military service. 老将 specifically implies an "old general" or a seasoned leader of high rank, rather than a common soldier.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
lǎobīng
Did you know?
- The character 兵 in 老兵 originally depicted two hands holding an axe, reflecting the ancient nature of weaponry before firearms.
- In Mandarin, calling a seasoned professional a 老 (old) expert is a sign of respect, whereas in English, calling someone 'old' might sound dismissive.
- The term 老将 (lǎojiàng) is often used in sports commentary to describe a veteran player who has played for many years, even if they have never been a military general.
Examples in context
- 他是一位老兵。Tā shì yī wèi lǎobīng.He is a veteran.
- 那位老兵在公园散步。Nà wèi lǎobīng zài gōngyuán sànbù.That veteran is walking in the park.
- 我爷爷是一位老兵。Wǒ yéye shì yī wèi lǎobīng.My grandfather is a veteran.
Example conversation
Xiao Wen and Wei are visiting a history museum.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你看，那边坐着一位老兵。Nǐ kàn, nàbiān zuòzhe yī wèi lǎobīng.Look, there is a veteran sitting over there.
- 伟 Wei他看起来非常精神。Tā kàn qǐlái fēicháng jīngshén.He looks very spirited.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我想去问问他的故事。Wǒ xiǎng qù wènwen tā de gùshì.I want to go and ask about his stories.
- 伟 Wei好主意，我们一起过去吧。Hǎo zhǔyì, wǒmen yīqǐ guòqù ba.Good idea, let's go over together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “veteran” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
