翁
also: おう
Meanings
1
old man; venerable gentleman
A respectful or literary term for an elderly man. Often used in traditional contexts or to show deference.
The old man of the village told us old tales.
2
Only with reading おう
Honorific suffix attached to names or titles of respected elderly men, e.g., 田中翁 (Venerable Tanaka).
Venerable Tanaka devoted himself to the development of the region.
Usage patterns
- 〈人〉翁the venerable [name] (honorific suffix attached to a respected elderly man's name)
The venerable Tanaka left behind many great achievements.
- 〈人〉翁と呼ばれるto be respectfully called 'the venerable ~'
He was respectfully called 'the venerable one' by the villagers.