老人 lǎo rén
“old man or woman; the elderly; one's aged parents or grandparents”
noun2021 list level 1
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
老人 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 746: 老人 lǎorén — Level 3; official annotation 3 (名). PDF page 98
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 老人
老人 (lǎorén) is a noun meaning an old person or elderly people. It is a general and fairly neutral word for an elderly person, not only for one's own grandparents. It is counted with 位 or 个: 一位老人, 一个老人.
例句Example sentences
- 那位老人走得很慢。nà wèi lǎo rén zǒu de hěn màn.That elderly person walks very slowly.
- 我们应该帮助老人。wǒ men yīng gāi bāng zhù lǎo rén.We should help elderly people.
- 公园里有很多老人在散步。gōng yuán lǐ yǒu hěn duō lǎo rén zài sàn bù.There are many elderly people walking in the park.
易混词Easily confused
老人vs老年人
老人 is the common everyday word; 老年人 is more formal and often used in statistics, public policy, or health contexts.