1
the elder of [plural noun phrase]
He is the elder of the two sons.
他是两个儿子中年长的那一个。
长辈；年长者
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
长辈；年长者
a person who is older than you are
He is the elder of the two sons.
他是两个儿子中年长的那一个。
部落或社区中德高望重的长者或资深成员,常担任咨询、协商或仪式性角色。
A leader or senior member of a tribe or community, often of considerable age, respected as an authority figure, especially in a counselling, consultative, or ceremonial role.
一种小树,即黑接骨木,开白色花簇,结可食用的紫色浆果。
A small tree, Sambucus nigra, having white flowers in a cluster, and edible purple berries.
牛的乳房,尤指用作食物。
A cow's udder, especially used as food.
比你年长的人
a person who is older than you are
The elders of the village gathered to discuss the festival.
村里的长辈们聚在一起讨论节日事宜。
You should show respect to your elders.
你应该尊重你的长辈。
He is an elder in the community and often gives advice.
他是社区里的一位前辈，经常给出建议。
He is the elder of the two sons.
他是两个儿子中年长的那一个。
这里 elders 泛指比自己年长的人。
Children should show respect to their elders.
孩子应该尊重长辈。
这里 elder 指教会或社区中的年长领导者。
He serves as an elder in the local church.
他在当地教会担任长老。
Not this
He is elder than me.
Use this
He is older than me.
elder通常用于表示家庭或群体中的年长关系，作定语，不用于than比较结构中。表示年龄更大应用older。
Not this
The elder people need our help.
Use this
The elderly people need our help.
作形容词表示'年老的'应用elderly。elder作形容词仅限于表示家庭关系中的年长，如'elder brother'，不能泛指年老。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
部落长老
The tribal elders gathered to discuss the marriage customs.
部落长老们聚在一起讨论婚姻习俗。
教会长老
She was elected as a church elder by the congregation.
她被会众选为教会长老。
接骨木花
Elder flowers are often used to make herbal tea.
接骨木花常被用来制作花草茶。
尊敬长辈
Children here are taught to respect their elders.
这里的孩子被教导要尊敬长辈。
智慧的长者
The wise elder helped settle the family dispute.
这位智慧的长者帮助化解了家庭纠纷。
政界或某领域的资深元老,德高望重的人物
Even after retiring, he remained an elder statesman whose opinion was widely sought.
即使退休后,他仍是一位德高望重的元老,人们常常征求他的意见。
长辈,年长的人(通常作为应受尊敬的整体)
You should always be polite to your elders.
你应该始终对长辈有礼貌。
年长而更有经验、更值得尊敬的人
In the village, the young people deferred to their elders and betters.
在村里,年轻人对长辈和贤者都很尊重。
将来大的要服侍小的。
This line from the Bible's book of Genesis describes the prophecy that the elder twin Esau would serve his younger brother Jacob.
这句出自《圣经·创世记》的名言预言了双胞胎中的哥哥以扫将服侍弟弟雅各。
尊敬长辈。
A well-known saying often repeated in Western families and popular TV shows to encourage children to be polite to older people.
一句广为人知的格言，在西方家庭和流行电视节目中经常被提起，教导孩子要礼貌对待长辈。
Use elder naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
elder 长得像 old 的变体，想象村里最年长、受敬重的老人就是 elder（长老）。
语域：formal 常见场景：community or tribal meetings、religious services、formal essays elder 作名词表示受敬重的年长者或社群、教会中的资深成员时，多用于正式或传统语境；日常口语中较少单独使用，更常说 older person。
常与the连用，指群体中的年长者，如'the elders of the village'。
Dictionary facts from AI_FALLBACK, ECDICT, WIKTIONARY, WORDNET.