age

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 齢 denotes age; its on-reading is れい, and its kun-reading is よわい.
• Basic usage: 年齢 refers to age in general, while 高齢 refers to advanced age or describes someone as elderly.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 年齢 / 高齢
  • 年齢: This general word for age appears on forms and when comparing people of different ages. Example: 申込書には名前と年齢を書いてください。
  • 高齢: This word refers to advanced age and can modify a person, as in 高齢の住民. Example: 高齢の住民にも使いやすい案内板へ交換した。