Vague Terms for Ages

JAPANese Notes | 年齢をあいまいに言う言葉

Vague Terms for Ages

You only add “sai” after a number when you tell someone your age, but in the case of 20 years old, it is more common to say “hatachi,” rather than “nijussai.” Asking an adult their age is seen as being rude, especially if you’re speaking to a woman. Many people are hesitant to honestly say their age. This is probably the reason that the vague terms “arasa-” (around thirty) and “arafo-” (around forty) have caught on. On the other hand, for old people, words such as “nennpaisha” (elderly person) and “shinia” (senior) are more often used to lessen the impression that they are past it.

年齢ねんれい
nennrei no
(your) age
かたは、
iikata ha,
(you) tell (someone) when
数字すうじ
suuji ni
(a) number after
さい」を
“sai” wo
sai
くわえる
kuwaeru
(you) add
だけです
dake desu
only
が、
ga,
but
20にじゅっさい
nijussai
twenty years old
no
of
場合ばあいには、
baai niha,
in the case
「はたち」と
hatachi to
hatachi (rather than nijussai)
iu
to say
ほう
hou ga
more
一般的いっぱんてき
ippannteki
common
です。
desu.
(it) is
成人せいじん
seijinn ni
(an) adult
年齢ねんれい
nennrei wo
(their) age
くことは、
kiku koto ha,
asking
とく
tokuni
especially
女性じょせい
josei ni
(a) woman
たいしては
taishite ha
if (you)’re speaking to < for>
失礼しつれい
shitsurei
being rude
to
as
されます。
saremasu.
is seen
自分じぶん年齢ねんれい
jibunn no nennrei wo
their <own> age
正直しょうじき
shoujiki ni
honestly
うことに
iu koto ni
to say
抵抗ていこう
teikou wo motsu
are hesitant
ひと
hito ha
people
すくなくありません。
sukunaku arimasenn.
many
そのせいか
sono sei ka
this is probably (the) reason (that)
30さんじゅっさい前後ぜんご
sannjussai zenngo wo
thirty around
アラサーあらさー」(around thirty)、
“arasa-”
arasa-
また
mata
and
40よんじゅっさい 前後ぜんご
yonnjussai zenngo wo
forty around
アラフォーあふぉー」(around forty)という
“arafo-” to iu
arafo-
あいまいな
aimaina
vague
言葉ことば
kotoba ga
(the) terms
ひろがりました。
hirogari mashita.
have caught on
一方いっぽう
ippou,
on the other hand
老人ろうじん
roujinn
old people
たいしては
ni taishite ha
for
高年齢こうねんれい
kou nennrei wo
(they) are past it
かんじさせない
kannji sasenai
to lessen (the) impression (that)
年配者ねんぱいしゃ
“nennpaisha”
nennpaisha (elderly person)
シニアしにあ
“shinia”
(and) shinia (senior)
などの
nado no
such as
言葉ことば
kotoba ga
words
より
yori
more often
使つかわれるようになりました。
tsukawareru you ni nari mashita.
are used

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