老年|ろうねんrounen[0]heiban (flat)

1. no-adjectiveold age
   ニコデモは言いった。「人ひとは老年ろうねんになっていて、どのようにして生うまれる事ことが出来できるのですか」↗

   "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked.

• Synonym高齢こうれいNeutralAdvanced age; a neutral word that leans toward administrative and medical language, as in 「高齢者」. 「老年」 instead stresses the life stage and leans written.
• Synonym老齢ろうれいWrittenBeing old; written register, found mostly in official systems such as 「老齢年金」.
• Synonym老いおいNeutralAgeing and old age; a neutral native word with a rueful, reflective coloring, as in 「老いを感じる」.
• Related老年期ろうねんきWrittenThe old-age period as a developmental stage; written language, used mainly in psychology and medicine.
• Related老いらくおいらくWrittenOne's later years; archaic and literary, surviving mostly in the set phrase 「老いらくの恋」.
• Antonym幼年ようねんWrittenEarly childhood; a written word at the opposite end of life from 「老年」.
• Antonym青年せいねんNeutralYouth, a young man; a neutral word at the opposite end of life from 「老年」.

Use 「老年」 for the old-age stage of life, as in 「老年医学」. Say 「高齢」 in administrative and medical contexts, 「老齢」 for official systems, 「老い」 for a rueful feel of ageing. 「老年期」 is the psychology/medicine stage term; 「老いらく」 is literary. Opposites: 「青年」, 「幼年」.

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

1. 年としを取とって心身しんしんの衰おとろえが目立めだつ年頃としごろ。