年寄り

• Reading: としより
• Romaji: toshiyori
• Kanji breakdown: 年 (nen/toshi) — year, age; 寄 (ki/yori) — approach, gather
• Pronunciation: /to.ɕi.jo.ɾi/

Meaning

Old person; elderly people. Refers to aged individuals.

A noun and no-adjective describing elderly people. Can sound slightly blunt or informal — the more polite alternative is お年寄り (otoshiyori) with the honorific prefix, or 高齢者 (koureisha, senior citizen) in formal contexts. Common expression: 年寄り臭い (toshiyori kusai, acting or looking old). The word derives from 年が寄る (toshi ga yoru, years accumulate).

Examples

1. 電車ではお年寄りに席を譲りましょう。 Let's give up our seats to elderly people on the train.
2. 年寄りの知恵は大切にすべきだと思う。 I think we should value the wisdom of the elderly.
3. 祖父は年寄りだが毎日元気に散歩している。 My grandfather is old, but he takes a walk energetically every day.

Usage Guide

Context: family, social manners, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From 年 (toshi, year/age) and 寄り (yori, approaching/gathering). Literally 'one whose years have accumulated.' The honorific form お年寄り is the standard polite usage.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal