JLPT N3 · Japanese kanji

老

老 — old man

Reading
ロウ・お.いる・ふ.ける
Meaning
old man; old age; grow old
JLPT level
N3
Language
Japanese

About this kanji

老 is a japanese kanji character commonly studied at the JLPT N3 level. Its primary reading is ロウ・お.いる・ふ.ける and it means old man; old age; grow old. To master it, see it in real Japanese content — import an article or YouTube video into InputDojo and every occurrence becomes a one-tap lookup.

老 appears in everyday japanese words such as 老衰 (senility), 老い (old age) and 老人 (the aged).

Japanese words containing 老

Frequently asked questions

What does 老 mean in Japanese?

老 means old man; old age; grow old in Japanese. It is one of the JLPT N3 kanji every learner meets at that level.

How is 老 read?

老 is read ロウ・お.いる・ふ.ける. Reading it inside real words — 老衰 and 老い and more — is the fastest way to remember it.

What level is 老 — is it JLPT N3?

Yes. 老 is on the official JLPT N3 kanji list, so it can appear in that exam's reading and vocabulary sections.

How do you use 老 in a word?

A common word containing 老 is 老衰 (ろうすい) — "senility". More examples are listed below, each with a one-tap dictionary entry.

How do I learn 老 effectively?

Read it in context. Import any Japanese article or video into InputDojo and every occurrence of 老 becomes a one-tap lookup with SRS flashcards, so you meet it in real sentences instead of a list.

More JLPT N3 kanji

Learn every JLPT kanji in context

InputDojo gives you the full JLPT N5–N1 kanji list — plus one-tap lookups in any real Japanese content. Free to start.

Start free