คนชรา

Explanation

คนชรา combines คน (“person”) and ชรา (“old” or “advanced in age”). It is gender-neutral and refers to someone in the later stage of life. The expression has a somewhat formal tone and occurs in writing, stories, and discussions of care or assistance for older people. In modern public or institutional language, ผู้สูงอายุ is often preferred because it sounds more respectful. People are counted with the classifier คน, as in คนชราสองคน (“two elderly people”) and คนชราหลายคน (“many elderly people”).

Usage

Used when discussing care, assistance, welfare services, or priority seating for elderly people, as well as when describing an older character in writing or storytelling.

Caution

It does not mean merely “someone older than me.” Avoid using คนชรา as a direct form of address, since explicitly labeling someone as old may sound insensitive.

1 elderly person synonyms

• คนแก่

  khon kɛ̀ɛ old person

  คนแก่ is a more conversational and blunt term for an old person. คนชรา sounds more formal, though both terms require care when used to label someone directly.

• ผู้สูงอายุ

  ผู้สูงอายุ is a respectful term commonly used in public information, healthcare, and social services. คนชรา refers more directly to someone being old and is also common in narratives and general writing.