Meaning
年老 describes someone who is advanced in age or elderly. It is a neutral to respectful term focusing on the fact of being old rather than carrying negative connotations. The word combines 年 (year, age) with 老 (old) to emphasize age-related oldness.
Usage
年老 is commonly used in formal or written contexts to describe elderly people respectfully. It often appears in phrases describing elderly people's needs, health, or status. In everyday conversation, people might use 老 alone or phrases like 上了年纪 more frequently. 年老 tends to be more formal than casual speech.
Examples
- 01他年老了，需要子女的照顾。, .He is elderly now and needs care from his children.
- 02年老的人应该多注意身体健康。.Elderly people should pay more attention to their health.
Characters
Common collocations
- 年老体弱old and physically weak
- 年老多病old and sickly
- 年老的父母elderly parents
Antonyms
Origin
The compound combines 年 (year/age) and 老 (old) to create an adjective specifically meaning old in terms of years lived. This is a straightforward descriptive compound where both characters contribute their core meanings.