現役

• Reading: げんえき
• Romaji: gen'eki
• Kanji breakdown: 現 (gen) — present, current; 役 (eki) — duty, role, service
• Pronunciation: /ɡe.ɴ.e.ki/

Meaning

Active duty; active service. Also refers to someone currently working or competing, not yet retired.

A noun (also used as a no-adjective) with two main uses: (1) military active duty or service, and (2) more commonly in modern Japanese, someone who is still actively working in their profession or competing in sports, as opposed to being retired. 現役選手 (active player), 現役を引退する (to retire from active service), and 現役合格 (passing an exam on the first attempt while still in school) are common expressions.

Examples

1. 彼は四十歳を過ぎても現役のプロ選手だ。 He's still an active professional athlete even past the age of forty.
2. 祖父は現役を退いてからも毎日散歩している。 Even after retiring, my grandfather goes for a walk every day.
3. 現役の医師として三十年以上働いてきた。 I've been working as a practicing physician for over thirty years.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, career, military, education

Tone: respectful

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese 現 (gen, present/current) + 役 (eki, duty/service/role). Literally 'present duty,' originally a military term that broadened to mean anyone still actively serving in their role or profession.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal