元げん老ろう

noun

elder statesman; doyen; veteran authority

Refers to a senior, respected figure in a field or organization, often with long experience and informal influence. Not limited to politics.

• 彼かれは政せい界かいの元げん老ろうとして尊そん敬けいされている。

  He is respected as an elder statesman of the political world.

• その学がっ会かいの元げん老ろうが記き念ねん講こう演えんを行おこなった。

  The doyen of that academic society gave a commemorative lecture.

noun

genrō (Meiji-era elder statesman)

Historical term for the small group of senior statesmen who informally advised the emperor from the Meiji period until the early Shōwa era. Not used for modern political advisors.

• 元げん老ろうの一人ひとりである伊い藤とう博ひろ文ぶみは、明めい治じ憲けん法ぽうの制せい定ていに深ふかく関かかわった。

  Itō Hirobumi, one of the genrō, was deeply involved in the establishment of the Meiji Constitution.