lão ông
Definition
- Noun:
- Old man; elderly gentleman: A respectful or neutral term for an aged male person. It refers specifically to a man who is advanced in years.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Lão ông ấy sống một mình trong ngôi nhà nhỏ. (That old man lives alone in a small house.)
- Các lão ông thường tụ tập đánh cờ vào buổi sáng. (The elderly gentlemen often gather to play chess in the morning.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "lão ông" can sometimes be used in literary or formal contexts to denote an old man, often with a connotation of respect or simply describing his age group. It is less common in casual, everyday speech than the simpler word "ông già".
Variants and Related Words
- Ông lão (n): This is a more common and frequently used inverted form with the same meaning: old man.
- Ông lão bán hàng rong rất tử tế. (The old street vendor is very kind.)
- Lão (n): A prefix or standalone word meaning "old," often used familiarly or informally before a name or title (e.g., - old Tư).
- Cụ ông (n): A term showing great respect for a very old man, similar to "venerable elder" or "patriarch."
Synonyms
- Elderly man: A man of old age.
- Old gentleman: A polite term for an old man.
- Senior: A person of higher age (more general, not gender-specific).
Related Idioms
- While "lão ông" itself is not typically part of idioms, the concept of old age is present in phrases like:
- "Gừng càng già càng cay": Literally "The older the ginger, the spicier it is," meaning with age comes greater experience and shrewdness. This can be applied to a wise lão ông.