高齢者|こうれいしゃkoureisha

1. nounold person; elderly person; senior citizen
   過去かこにおいて高齢者こうれいしゃたちは人生じんせいの様々さまざまな問題もんだいを解決かいけつするときのエキスパートと考かんがえられていた。↗

   In the past, the old used to be looked upon as experts in solving various problems of life.

• Synonym年寄りとしよりNeutralColloquial word for an old person; with 「お」 added, 「お年寄り」 sounds warm and polite, while 「高齢者」 is the statistical, administrative term.
• Synonym老人ろうじんNeutralNeutral word for the elderly, as in 「老人ホーム」; in modern formal contexts 「高齢者」 is usually preferred.
• Synonym年老としおいWrittenWritten/formal prose for someone grown old and frail; little used in modern Japanese.
• Synonym老輩ろうはいWrittenWritten/formal prose for the older generation; rarely seen in modern Japanese.
• Related長老ちょうろうWrittenWritten/formal prose for a revered elder or patriarch; stresses high standing rather than mere age.
• Related古老ころうWrittenWritten/formal prose for an elder well versed in the distant past; stresses having witnessed history.
• Related老骨ろうこつWrittenWritten/formal prose for one's own old bones, used humbly of oneself, as in 「老骨に鞭打つ」.
• Related老体ろうたいWrittenWritten/formal prose for an aged body or an old person, often humble or sympathetic; 「高齢者」 is the objective term.
• Antonym若者わかものNeutralYoung people; the direct counterpart to 「高齢者」 on the age scale.
• Antonym子供こどもNeutralChildren; the opposite end of the age range from 「高齢者」.

Use 「高齢者」 for the formal, statistical or administrative term, as in 「高齢者福祉」 and 「高齢者施設」. In speech, the polite choice is 「お年寄り」 and the general word is 「老人」; the opposites are 「若者」 and 「子供」. The written alternatives (「長老」, 「老骨」, 「老体」, 「老輩」, 「古老」, 「年老」) each carry special nuances and most are rare today.

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

1. 年齢ねんれいを経へた高齢こうれいの者もの。