隠居

いんきょ
JLPT:N1
Frequency:
1

Retirement from work or public duties; living a quiet life after stepping down (to retire/lead a retired life).

NounIrregular VerbIntransitive Verb

Examples

父は去年隠居して田舎で静かに暮らしている。

My father retired last year and now lives quietly in the countryside.

定年を迎えて隠居することにした。

Having reached retirement age, I decided to retire.

2

A retired person; a retiree. Often respectfully called 'go-inkyo-san'.

Noun

Examples

町のご隠居さんはいつも庭の手入れをしている。

The town's retired gentleman is always tending his garden.

彼は年寄りの隠居だが、地域で頼られている。

He is a retired elder but is relied upon in the community.

3

Historical: surrendering the headship of a family and stepping aside from authority, used especially in premodern Japan.

NounIrregular VerbIntransitive VerbHistorical Term

Examples

江戸時代には大名が隠居して家督を子に譲ることがあった。

In the Edo period, daimyo sometimes retired and handed family leadership to their sons.

Word Relationships

Synonyms
Antonym