già lão

Ông cụ già lão ngồi đọc sách dưới gốc cây.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Old, aged, elderly: Describes a person who is advanced in years, typically implying a state of being old or aged.
   • Senescent: Refers to the state or process of growing old, often with an implication of the associated physical characteristics.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Ông ấy đã già lão nhưng tinh thần vẫn minh mẫn. (He is old but his mind is still sharp.)
  • Căn nhà ấy có một vẻ già lão và trầm mặc. (That house has an old and solemn appearance.)

Advanced Usage

• "tuổi già lão": old age.

  • Ông ấy đang đối mặt với những vấn đề sức khỏe của tuổi già lão. (He is facing the health problems of old age.)

• "dáng vẻ già lão": an aged appearance.

  • Dù mới ngoài 50, gánh nặng cuộc sống khiến ông có dáng vẻ già lão. (Although just over 50, the burdens of life give him an aged appearance.)

Variants and Related Words

• Già (adj): Old. A more common and general term for old age.

  • Ông già (old man), bà già (old woman).

• Lão (adj): Old, aged. Often used as a prefix or in formal/classical contexts.

  • Lão thành (veteran, senior), lão hóa (to age, aging).

• Tuổi già (n): Old age.

• Người già (n): Elderly person, old person.

Synonyms

• Cao tuổi: Advanced in age.
• Lớn tuổi: Old (literally "big in age").
• Xế chiều: In the late afternoon (a poetic euphemism for old age).

Notes on Usage

• "Già lão" is a compound adjective formed from two synonymous roots ( and ), which intensifies the meaning of being old. It often carries a slightly more formal or descriptive tone than using alone.
• It can describe both people and, metaphorically, things that appear old or worn.
• While accurate, in modern everyday conversation, the simpler term "già" is more frequently used. "Già lão" might be found more in written descriptions, literature, or formal speech.