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长者 (zhǎng zhě) — elder, senior person; venerable elder, influential figure (in a community or historical context)

Definition

A respectful term for an elderly person of high standing — denotes both age and social authority. Unlike plain 老人 ('old person'), it carries a tone of veneration, often for community leaders or notable figures.

noun
eldersenior personvenerable elderinfluential figure (in a community or historical context)
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 长者。
    Zhè wèi zhǎng zhě zài cūn lǐ hěn yǒu wēi wàng.
    This elder has great prestige in the village.
  • 长者，。
    Zuò wéi cūn lǐ de zhǎng zhě, tā tiáo jiě le hěn duō jiū fēn.
    As the village elder, he mediated many disputes.
  • 长者，。
    Gǔ dài zhǎng zhě de dì wèi hěn gāo, shòu dào dà jiā de zūn jìng.
    In ancient times, elders held high status and were respected by everyone.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

长chángelder
者zhěperson

长者 means an elder, with 长 giving seniority and 者 referring to a person.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

Open 长 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 者 originally drew a sugarcane with full stems, small points around it, and an open smiling mouth at the bottom.

Open 者 →
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