老人家

• Pinyin: lǎo ren jia
• Hanzi breakdown: 老 = old; 人 = person; 家 = 宀 (roof) + 豕 (pig) — family/respectful suffix

Meaning

Elderly person; respectful term for an old person. A polite address for seniors.

A respectful way to address or refer to elderly people. More polite than 老人. Can also be used humorously for oneself when feeling old. Shows deference and care.

Examples

1. 老人家，您慢走。 Take care, sir/ma'am.
2. 这位老人家今年已经八十五岁了。 This elderly person is already eighty-five years old.
3. 我们应该尊重和照顾老人家。 We should respect and take care of the elderly.

Usage Guide

Context: addressing elders, respect, care

Tone: respectful

Do Say

• 老人家，需要帮忙吗？(Sir/Ma'am, do you need help?)
• 家里的老人家都健康吗？(Are the elders in your family healthy?)

Don't Say

• 用老人家称呼同龄或年轻的人。(老人家 is for elderly people — using it for peers would be odd or ironic)

Origin & History

Compound of 老人 (old person) + 家 (home/suffix of respect). The suffix 家 adds respectful distance.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal