noun-modifying (irregular)
Prenominal form of 年を取る (to grow old), used to describe an old person or aged thing. Often carries a neutral or slightly sympathetic tone.
Old dogs sleep a lot.
An elderly man was walking slowly in the park.
I want to take good care of my aged parents.
An old dog was sunbathing on the porch.
年老いる is the dictionary verb meaning 'to grow old', whereas 年取った is the adjectival prenominal form used to modify a noun directly.
若い means 'young', the direct opposite of 年取った which means 'aged' or 'old'.
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
Common variant with とった in kana; often seen in informal writing.
Uses 歳 (age) instead of 年; slightly more formal or literary nuance.
Mixed kanji-kana variant with 歳; less common but recognizable.
Derived from the verb phrase 年を取る (としをとる, 'to take years'), literally 'to take on years'. The prenominal form 年取った is a contraction of 年を取った, used attributively.