現役(げんえき)

げんえき
noun
active service; active duty; still active
work
1. active duty; active service
Currently serving in a professional or official capacity, especially military or government.
彼(かれ)は現役(げんえき)の軍人(ぐんじん)だ。
He is an active-duty soldier.
現役(げんえき)の警察官(けいさつかん)として長年(ながねん)働(はたら)いてきた。
He has worked for many years as an active-duty police officer.
現役(げんえき)時代(じだい)の経験(けいけん)が、退職後(たいしょくご)の人生(じんせい)にも役(やく)に立(た)っている。
Experiences from his active years are still useful in his life after retirement.
2. still active; currently active; not yet retired
Still working, competing, or performing in one's field rather than having retired.
あの選手(せんしゅ)はまだ現役(げんえき)だ。
That athlete is still active.
現役(げんえき)を引退(いんたい)してからもう十年(じゅうねん)になる。
It has been ten years since he retired from active play.
七十歳(ななじゅっさい)を過(す)ぎても現役(げんえき)で働(はたら)き続(つづ)けている医師(いし)は少(すく)なくない。
There are not a few doctors who continue working actively even past the age of seventy.

Combines 現(げん) (present, current) and 役(えき) (service, duty). Originally a military term for active service, now widely used to describe anyone who is still working or competing in their field rather than having retired.

Usage

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 活動中(かつどうちゅう): currently active — describes ongoing activity rather than professional status
  • 在職(ざいしょく): in office, employed — focuses on holding a position
  • 退役(たいえき): retired from service — the opposite of 現役(げんえき), especially in military contexts

Related Words

Compare: 在職(ざいしょく) (in office, employed)
Antonym: 退役(たいえき) (retired from service)
Related: 浪人生(ろうにんせい) (student studying for another attempt at entrance exams)
general
Added 2026.4.4 2:09 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
21500/21782_geneki