老
Elderly
| on’yomi | kun’yomi | Radicals |
|---|---|---|
| ろう | n/i |  + ヒ |
Meaning: Elderly
Even a spoon can put this person into a coffin. That person is an elderly person.
Imagine an older person choking on their spoon, then getting put in a coffin afterwards. That’s what happens when you’re elderly, I suppose.
Reading: ろう
When the elderly person dies, he/she is at the River Styx. He/she has to cross it to go to the (Greek) underworld. In order to get across, the elderly person is given a row (ろう) boat to row across with.
Imagine the old person struggling to row across, but they have to, because if they don’t they’ll be eaten by the ghosts below 0_0
Vocabulary
Just on’yomi with these words, which usually makes things simpler.
a老人（ろうじん）＝ Old Man/Person
- Combo: 老 (old age) 人 (person)
- Meaning: The old age person is an old person. Usually used with old men, but can also be “old person” as well.
a 老死（ろうし）＝ Die of old age
- Combo: 老 (old age) + 死 (death)
- Meaning: Old age deaths are when people die of old age
- Reading: On’yomi readings of the kanji