Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

お年寄り (おとしより) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

お年とし寄より

お

と

し

よ

り

Common word›JLPTN4›

Meanings

1

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

old person; elderly person; senior citizen

Polite and respectful term for an elderly person. Commonly used in public contexts, signs, and considerate speech.

お年とし

寄よ

り

に

席せき

を

譲ゆず

り

ましょう

。

Let's give up our seats for elderly people.

この地ち域いきにはお年とし寄よりが多おおく住すんでいます。

Many elderly people live in this area.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉にお年とし寄よりが席せきを譲ゆずるfor someone to give up their seat to an elderly person
電でん車しゃで若わかい男だん性せいがお年とし寄よりに席せきを譲ゆずった。
A young man gave up his seat to an elderly person on the train.
お年とし寄よりを大たい切せつにするto treat elderly people with care and respect
この町まちではお年とし寄よりを大たい切せつにする文ぶん化かがある。
This town has a culture of treating elderly people with care.
お年とし寄より向むけの〈物もの〉something designed for elderly people
お年とし寄より向むけの携けい帯たい電でん話わが人にん気きになっている。
Mobile phones designed for elderly people are becoming popular.
お年とし寄よりを助たすけるto help an elderly person
道みちに迷まよったお年とし寄よりを助たすけた。
I helped an elderly person who had lost their way.

Kanji

年year, counter for years
寄draw near, stop in, bring near

Related words

年とし寄よりN3
年寄り is the plain, sometimes blunt word for an old person, while お年寄り adds the polite お- prefix to sound respectful and considerate.
高こう齢れい者しゃN2
高齢者 is a formal, bureaucratic term for elderly people used in official documents and statistics, whereas お年寄り is warmer and used in everyday, considerate speech.
老ろう人じんN3
老人 is a neutral-to-somewhat-blunt word for an old person that can sound clinical or even rude in direct address, while お年寄り is the polite everyday choice.
シニア
シニア is a softer, marketing-style loanword used for seniors in contexts like discounts or sports categories, while お年寄り is the general polite term for elderly people.
じいさんN1
お年寄り is a neutral, respectful way to say 'elderly person' regardless of gender, while 爺さん is a familiar, sometimes blunt term specifically for an old man.

Opposites

若わか者ものN2
若者 means a young person, the opposite of お年寄り, an elderly person.

Politeness

年とし寄よりplainN3
お年寄り adds the polite お- prefix to 年寄り, making it the softer, more respectful way to refer to an elderly person.
老ろう人じんplainN3
お年寄り is the polite, respectful way to refer to an elderly person, whereas 老人 is a neutral term used in general or formal contexts.

Counted with

人にん
counter for people

Etymology

Formed from the honorific prefix お + 年寄り (としより, 'old person'). The base 年寄り is a compound of 年 (とし, 'year, age') and 寄り (より, the continuative form of 寄る 'to approach, gather'), literally 'one who has accumulated years'.