年寄り（としより、toshiyori）
- elderly person

The word 年寄り年寄り, read as としより, primarily means "elderly person," "senior citizen," or "old person." It refers to individuals of advanced age, often implying someone who is retired or past middle age. It can be used both respectfully and less respectfully, depending on the context and the speaker's relationship with the person being referred to. It’s important to note that the nuance can change, and using 年寄り年寄り directly can sometimes be perceived as somewhat blunt or impersonal, so alternatives are often preferred in formal or polite situations. It is a noun.

⚫︎ あの年寄りは公園でいつも鳩に餌をあげている。 Translation: That [old person] always feeds the pigeons in the park. ⚫︎ 彼は年寄りのためにボランティア活動をしている。 Translation: He is doing volunteer work for the elderly. ⚫︎ 年寄りの健康診断は大切です。 Translation: Health checkups for senior citizens are important.

⚫︎ 年寄り年寄り is used when you want to refer to a person or people who are advanced in age. ⚫︎ It can be used in casual conversation, but in more formal settings, you might choose a more polite term (see synonyms below). ⚫︎ Consider your relationship with the person you are referring to, as well as the context of your conversation. While 年寄り年寄り isn't inherently rude, it can be perceived as such depending on the situation.

⚫︎ The word is typically written in kanji 年寄り年寄り, with the hiragana reading としより. ⚫︎ The kanji 年 means "year" or "age," and 寄りmeans "to lean toward" or "to be close to," suggesting someone who is approaching the later years of life. ⚫︎ There are no variations in the okurigana for this word.

⚫︎ お年寄り (おとしより) - A more polite and respectful way to refer to the elderly. The "お" is an honorific prefix. ⚫︎ 高齢者 (こうれいしゃ) - This is a more formal and neutral term, often used in official contexts (e.g., in medical or government documents). It literally means "elderly person." ⚫︎ 老人 (ろうじん) - This term can be used, but it can sometimes sound clinical or distant. It generally means "old person" or "senior citizen." ⚫︎ シニア (しにあ) - This is a loanword from English "senior." It's commonly used and is considered a relatively neutral term. ⚫︎ おじいさん or おばあさん - These are used for "grandfather" and "grandmother" respectively, and can sometimes be used in a general sense to refer to elderly men and women.

⚫︎ 若者 (わかもの) - "Young person" ⚫︎ 子供 (こども) - "Child" ⚫︎ 青年 (せいねん) - "Young adult" ⚫︎ 若人 (わこうど) - "Young people" (formal)

あそこの年寄りはいつも親切で、道に迷った私を助けてくれた。 ・Translation: That [old person] over there is always kind, and they helped me when I got lost. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 年寄り in a relatively neutral way, focusing on the person's helpfulness.

この年寄りは最近、物忘れが多くて心配だ。 ・Translation: I'm worried because this [elderly person] has been forgetting things a lot lately. ・Explanation: Here, 年寄り is used to describe a person who is experiencing memory problems.

The word 年寄り年寄り is a compound word. The kanji 年 signifies "year" or "age", and the suffix 寄り (from the verb 寄る which means "to approach" or "to get closer to") implies someone who is getting close to the age of being old.