高こう齢れい者しゃ

こ

う

れ

い

しゃ

Common wordJLPTN2

Meanings

1

elderly person; senior citizen

A neutral, somewhat formal term for an older person, often used in official, medical, or social welfare contexts. More polite than 年寄り.

このバスは高こう齢れい者しゃに優やさしい設せっ計けいです。
This bus is designed to be friendly for elderly people.
高こう齢れい者しゃの人じん口こうが増ふえている。
The elderly population is increasing.

See all 310 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉は高こう齢れい者しゃ向むけだ(something) is designed for elderly people
このスマートフォンは高こう齢れい者しゃ向むけに作つくられている。
This smartphone is made for elderly users.
高こう齢れい者しゃを介かい護ごするto care for an elderly person
彼かの女じょは自じ宅たくで高こう齢れい者しゃを介かい護ごしている。
She takes care of an elderly person at home.
高こう齢れい者しゃの数かずが増ふえるthe number of elderly people increases
この地ち域いきでは高こう齢れい者しゃの数かずが年ねん々ねん増ふえている。
The number of elderly people in this area is increasing every year.
独ひとり暮ぐらしの高こう齢れい者しゃan elderly person living alone
独ひとり暮ぐらしの高こう齢れい者しゃを訪ほう問もんして安あん全ぜんを確かく認にんする。
We visit elderly people living alone to check on their safety.

Expressions

サービス付つき高こう齢れい者しゃ向むけ住じゅう宅たくhousing for the elderly with home-care services

Kanji

高tall, high, expensive
齢age
者someone, person

Related words· 7

年とし寄よりN3
年寄り is a plain, sometimes blunt word for an old person, while 高齢者 is the neutral, formal term used in official and medical contexts.
お年とし寄よりN4
お年寄り is a polite everyday word for an elderly person, while 高齢者 is more formal and typical of official statistics and policy documents.
老ろう人じんN3
老人 is a common, slightly blunt word for an old person, whereas 高齢者 is the polite, official term preferred in public and medical settings.
シルバー
高齢者 is the neutral, formal term for an elderly person, whereas シルバー is a softer, euphemistic word often used in marketing or public-service naming (e.g. シルバーシート).

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シニア
高齢者 is the formal, official term for an elderly person used in medical or government contexts, whereas シニア is a softer, more casual term often starting from a younger age (50s-60s).
中ちゅう高こう年ねん
高齢者 specifically means elderly or senior citizens, while 中高年 also includes younger middle-aged people.
老おいN3
高齢者 is the neutral, administrative term for elderly people, while 老い in this sense is rarer and more literary.

Opposites

若わか者ものN2
若者 means a young person, the direct opposite of 高齢者, an elderly person.
青せい少しょう年ねんN2
高齢者 refers to elderly people, standing in contrast to 青少年, which denotes young people, and the two terms are often paired in demographic or policy discussions.
若じゃく年ねん層そうN1
高齢者 refers to elderly people, the direct demographic opposite of 若年層.

Don't confuse with

敬けい老ろうN1
敬老 is the abstract attitude of respecting elderly people, while 高齢者 refers to the elderly people themselves.

Word family

前ぜん期き高こう齢れい者しゃ
young old; person aged 65–74
後こう期き高こう齢れい者しゃ
middle-old person (75–84 years old)
高こう齢れい者しゃ施し設せつ
elderly care facility; facility for the elderly
高こう齢れい者しゃ福ふく祉し
elderly welfare; eldercare
高こう齢れい者しゃ虐ぎゃく待たい
elder abuse; abuse of the elderly
高こう齢れい者しゃマーク
elderly driver mark

Built from

高こう齢れい+者しゃ

Etymology

Compound of 高齢 (こうれい, 'advanced age') and 者 (しゃ, 'person').