長者
also: ちょうしゃ · ちょうざ
Meanings
Only with reading ちょうじゃ
Common modern meaning: a person of great wealth, often used in compounds like 億万長者 (billionaire).
He became a millionaire at a young age.
one's superior; one's elder; one's senior
Refers to a person older or higher in status; somewhat formal or traditional in tone.
You should listen to the opinions of your elders.
virtuous and gentle person
Archaic meaning; a person of moral excellence and kindness, rarely used in modern Japanese outside historical or literary contexts.
In classical literature, a 長者 is depicted as a person of high virtue.
female brothel owner; post-town chief
Only with reading ちょうじゃ
Archaic, highly specific historical terms: sense 4 refers to a woman running a brothel in a post town; sense 5 refers to the chief of a post town. Both are obsolete and only encountered in historical texts.
In Edo-period post towns, the 長者 managed inns and brothels.
Usage patterns
- 〈人〉が長者になるfor someone to become a wealthy person/millionaire
He became a millionaire in a single generation.
- 〈人〉として長者を敬うto show respect to someone as an elder or superior
The villagers respected him as their elder and superior.