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古参 (こさん, kosan) Japanese meaning: senior member | Kotomora
じ 字 Furigana
Kanji 参 nonplussed, three (in documents), going Related words 古参 stresses long-standing membership in a specific group, whereas ベテラン is a casual loanword focusing on skill and experience built up over time.
古参 emphasizes sheer length of tenure in a group, while 先輩 emphasizes relative seniority in age, rank, or joining order within that group.
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さん
社しゃ
員いん
だ
。
He is a veteran employee of this company.
The senior members guide the newcomers.
Usage patterns 古こ 参さん の 〈 人ひと 〉 a long-serving 〈person〉 (e.g. employee, member)
He is a veteran employee at this company.
〈 場ば 所しょ 〉 の 古こ 参さん the senior/veteran member of 〈an organization or group〉
She is the veteran member of this team.
古こ 参さん として 〈 動どう 詞し 〉 to do something in the capacity of a senior/veteran member
As a senior member, I train the newcomers.
古参 simply means a longtime, senior member of a group, while オールドガード specifically implies resistance to change or reform.
Opposites 古参 refers to someone who has been in a group a long time, while 新参 refers to a newcomer who has just joined.
古参 refers to a long-standing, senior member of a group, the opposite of 新入, who has just joined it.
新人 refers to a recent arrival, whereas 古参 refers to a long-standing, senior member of a group.
Word family veteran soldier; long-serving soldier
senior member; old-timer; veteran
oldest member; longest-serving member
Written forms 古こ 参さん Usage 97%
Standard kanji spelling; the only form given.
コサン Usage 4%
Etymology Compound of 古 (old) and 参 (to join, participate), literally 'old participant'.