How to say "veteran" in Japanese

• ベテランJLPT N2approx.Common
  no-adjectiveThe usual word for someone with a great deal of experience in a particular field or occupation, such as work or sports. For the soldier sense of 'veteran', turn to 歴戦 instead.
  あれほどのベテランにもかかわらず、彼かれはどうしてよいのかわからなかった。↗

  For all his experience, he had no idea what to do with it.
• 古参こさんCommon
  no-adjectiveDescribes a person's seniority as a long-standing member of a group — a company, club, or community. The emphasis is on how long they have belonged, not necessarily on their skill.
  古参こさん議員ぎいんたちは、選挙せんきょで参議院さんぎいんの議席ぎせきを失うしないそうになりました。↗

  The old guard was nearly voted out of the Upper House.
• 歴戦れきせんCommon
  no-adjectiveThe word for the military sense: a soldier with long service, hardened by many battles. It can also describe someone seasoned by repeated hard contests in other fields.
• 古豪こごうCommon
  nounAn old-timer: a person whose long experience marks them as belonging to an earlier generation, often with the suggestion that they were once a formidable performer in their field.
• 百戦錬磨ひゃくせんれんまCommon
  no-adjectiveA four-character idiom portraying someone tempered and hardened by countless battles or hardships. It paints this image emphatically rather than serving as a plain label for an experienced person.

Use 「ベテラン」 for an experienced person in any field, 古参 for seniority within a group, 歴戦 for battle-hardened soldiers, 古豪 for old-timers of an earlier generation, and 百戦錬磨 as an emphatic idiom for someone tempered by countless battles.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• ベテランveteran (in a particular field)
• 古参こさんsenior
• 歴戦れきせんveteran (e.g. soldier)
• 古豪こごうveteran
• 百戦錬磨ひゃくせんれんまveteran
• 老練ろうれんexperienced
• 郷軍ごうぐんveteran
• 老手ろうしゅveteran
• 老練家ろうれんかveteran
• 古株ふるかぶold-timer
• 剛の者ごうのものvery strong person
• 古狸ふるだぬきold badger
• 老巧ろうこうexperienced
• 退役軍人たいえきぐんじんex-serviceman
• 大先輩だいせんぱいsomeone who is greatly one's senior
• 古参兵こさんへいlong-serving soldier
• 古手ふるてveteran
• 十年選手じゅうねんせんしゅveteran (at a job)
• 叩き上げたたきあげself-made person
• 古強者ふるつわものold soldier