người già
Definition
- Noun:
- Elderly person / Old person: A person who is advanced in age, typically referring to someone in the later stages of life. This term carries a tone of respect for their age and experience.
- The elderly / Senior citizens: Used as a collective term to refer to the demographic group of older people in society.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Chúng ta nên nhường ghế cho người già trên xe buýt. (We should give up our seats for the elderly on the bus.)
- Khu phố này có nhiều người già sinh sống. (This neighborhood has many elderly people living here.)
- Người già thường có nhiều kinh nghiệm sống quý giá. (Older people often have valuable life experience.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "người già" is neutral to respectful. A more formal or polite synonym is "người cao tuổi" (literally: high-age person).
- In some contexts, it can be part of compound nouns describing specific roles or statuses, e.g., "hội người già" (elderly association).
Variants and Related Words
Người cao tuổi (n): Senior citizen, elderly person (more formal/polite).
- Chính sách dành cho người cao tuổi. (Policies for senior citizens.)
Cụ già (n): A very old person, often implying great age and used with reverence.
- Cụ già ngồi đọc báo ở công viên. (The very old man sat reading the newspaper in the park.)
Synonyms
- Senior citizen: A polite term for an older person, especially in official contexts.
- Elder: Often implies respect and wisdom associated with age.
- The aged: A formal collective term for elderly people.
Related Idioms and Common Phrases
- Kính già, già để tuổi cho: (Respect the old, for they have lived long.) A proverb emphasizing respect for the elderly.
- Trẻ vui nhà, già vui làng: (The young find joy in the home, the old find joy in the community.) A saying about the different social focuses of the young and old.