1.
retirement from active life; living in seclusion
Withdrawing from work or public life to live quietly. Historically, referred to a family head formally transferring authority to a successor and stepping back from active duties.
祖父は六十歳で隠居した。
My grandfather retired at sixty.
隠居生活を楽しんでいる。
I'm enjoying retired life.
店を息子に任せて隠居するつもりだ。
I plan to hand the shop over to my son and retire.
2.
retired person; retiree
A person who has retired from active life. Can be used playfully or self-deprecatingly to describe someone living a quiet, unhurried lifestyle.
隣の隠居さんは将棋が強い。
The retired old man next door is good at shogi.
まだ若いのに隠居みたいな生活をしている。
Even though you're still young, you're living like a retiree.
大きな屋敷の離れに隠居が暮らしていた。
A retired elder lived in the annex of the large mansion.
Compound of 隠 (to hide) + 居 (to reside). Originally a feudal-era practice where a household head formally stepped down.
SENSE 1 (retirement):
In the Edo period, 隠居 was a formal legal act where the head of a family transferred authority to an heir. Today it is used more loosely for any retirement from active professional life.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS (sense 1):
- 隠居する (to retire)
- 隠居生活 (retired life)
SENSE 2 (retired person):
Can refer to a retired elder or be used humorously about someone living a very quiet, inactive lifestyle.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS (sense 2):
- 隠居さん (the retired old person — affectionate)
- 隠居暮らし (a retiree's lifestyle)