Toshiue is the Japanese word for ‘elder’, explained

What does “toshiue” mean in Japanese?

Native speakers say “toshiue” to mean ‘elder’ in Japanese. Perhaps, some Japanese learners know this word as it is sometimes used in Japanese conversations. In this blog post, however, I will explain it in detail based on its kanji expression. And also, I will explain how to use it through example sentences. My explanations would help Japanese learners understand “toshiue” more clearly. Then, let’s get started!

Contents

• Definition and meaning of “toshiue”
• What does “toshiue” literally mean in Japanese?
  • Example #1: how to say “elder” in Japanese
  • Example #2: another usage of “toshiue”
• Summary

Definition and meaning of “toshiue”

Let me start with the definition and meaning of “toshiue”.

• toshiue – 年上 (としうえ) : a noun meaning ‘elder’ in Japanese. This can also work like an adjective to mean ‘elder’.

In Japanese, the border between nouns and adjectives is sometimes very ambiguous. Some words can work as both a noun and an adjective. “Toshiue” is one of them. Grammatically it is a noun, but can also work like an adjective to mean ‘elder’ in Japanese. Interestingly, “elder” in English can also work as both a noun and an adjective. So, Japanese learners, especially those who are familiar with English, can easily understand this point, I think.

The definition and meaning are not that difficult, I think. To understand this noun more clearly, however, let me explain its kanji characters in detail, one by one.

What does “toshiue” literally mean in Japanese?

The kanji expression of “toshiue” consists of the following two kanji characters:

• 年 : a kanji character used to mean ‘year’ in Japanese.
• 上 : a kanji character often used to mean ‘up’ in Japanese, but occasionally used to mean ‘elder’.

From these two kanji characters, we can understand that “toshiue” literally means ‘years elder’ in Japanese. This literal interpretation is not completely in line with the actual meaning, but still close, I think. Elders are often some years older than others.

When we meet new kanji expressions, we should check their kanji characters in detail to understand their meanings clearly and deeply. In many cases, kanji characters tell us a lot about the meanings of the expressions they form. Actually, here, we could get the better understanding of “toshiue” through the detailed kanji check above.

So far, I’ve explained the definition and meaning of “toshiue” together with its kanji characters. Then, let me explain how to use it through the example sentences below.

Example #1: how to say “elder” in Japanese

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• kare – 彼 (かれ) : a pronoun meaning ‘he’ in Japanese.
• ga – が : a case particle used to make the subject word or the object word in a sentence. In the example, this is used after “kare” to make the subject in the sentence.
• futari – 二人 (ふたり) : a noun meaning ‘two people’ in Japanese.
• no – の : a case particle joining two nouns. Normally, the first one can work as a modifier to describe the second. In the example, this works to join “futari” and “naka”. The formed phrase can literally mean ‘in two people’ in Japanese.
• naka – 中 (なか) : a noun meaning ‘inside’ or such in Japanese.
• de – で : a case particle often used to say where something happens. In the example, this is used after “futari no naka” to indicate the group in which he is the elder.
• desu – です : an auxiliary verb used after a noun or adjective to make it polite. In the example, this is used after “toshiue” to make it sound polite.

This is a typical usage of “toshiue”. In this example, it works as a noun to mean the ‘elder’ in Japanese.

Example #2: another usage of “toshiue”

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• watashi – 私 (わたし) : a pronoun meaning ‘I’ in Japanese.
• wa – は : a binding particle working as a case marker or topic marker. In the example, this works after “watashi” to make the subject in the sentence.
• kangae – 考え (かんがえ) : a noun meaning ‘thought’ in Japanese. This can also work as plural. Learn more about Japanese plural.
• kirai – 嫌い (きらい) : the stem part of the na-adjective, “kiraina”, but often used like an individual word to mean ‘to dislike’, ‘not to like’, or such in Japanese. In the example, this is used to mean ‘not to like’ in Japanese.

This is another typical usage of “toshiue”. In this example, it works together with “no” and “kangae” to mean “elders’ thoughts” in Japanese. When we want to mean ‘elder’ in Japanese, anyway, “toshiue” is always a very good option.

Summary

In this blog post, I’ve explained the definition and meaning of “toshiue” in detail based on its kanji expression. And also, I’ve explained how to use it through the example sentences. Let me summarize them as follows.

• toshiue – 年上 (としうえ) : a noun meaning ‘elder’ in Japanese. This can also work like an adjective to mean ‘elder’. These two kanji characters literally mean ‘years elder’ in Japanese. This literal interpretation is not completely in line with the actual meaning, but still close, I think. Elders are often some years older than others.

Hope my explanations are understandable and helpful for Japanese learners.