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老手 (ろうしゅ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

老ろう手しゅ

ろ

う

しゅ

Meanings

1

noun

veteran; past master

Refers to a person with long experience and high skill in a particular field, often implying seasoned expertise.

彼かれはこの道みちの老ろう手しゅだ。
He is a veteran in this field.
老ろう手しゅの技わざにはかなわない。
I can't match the skill of a past master.

Kanji

老old man, old age, grow old
手hand

Similar words

ベテラン
ベテラン is a common loanword for 'veteran' in many contexts, while 老手 is a more literary or formal native term emphasizing seasoned expertise.
熟じゅく練れん者しゃ
熟練者 is a neutral term for a skilled or experienced person, whereas 老手 carries a nuance of long-standing mastery and is less common in everyday speech.

Etymology

Composed of 老 (old, aged) and 手 (hand, skill), suggesting an 'old hand' at something. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the kanji combination directly conveys the meaning of a seasoned expert.