晩年

そのおじいさんは晩年、海辺の町でくらしました。

That old man lived in a seaside town in his later years.

晩年 (bannen) here acts as a time marker meaning 'later years'.

晩年、彼はとてもしあわせでした。

In his later years, he was very happy.

晩年 is used at the start of the sentence to set the time.

おばあさんの晩年は、しずかでした。

My grandmother's later years were quiet.

晩年 can be the subject of a sentence.

晩年に新しいしゅみをはじめました。

He started a new hobby in his later years.

晩年に (in one's later years) uses the particle に for time.

有名な作家の晩年について読みました。

I read about the later years of a famous writer.

作家の晩年 (writer's later years) uses the possessive particle の.

晩年は家族といっしょにいました。

In his later years, he was with his family.

晩年は (as for the later years) uses は to define the topic.

彼は晩年を山で過ごしました。

He spent his later years in the mountains.

晩年を過ごす is a very common phrase.

晩年の絵は、とてもきれいです。

The paintings from his later years are very beautiful.

晩年の絵 refers to paintings made during that period.

祖父は晩年、毎日庭の手入れをしていました。

My grandfather was taking care of the garden every day in his later years.

Describes a habitual action in the later years.

その歌手は晩年になって、また歌い始めました。

That singer started singing again in her later years.

晩年になって means 'becoming/reaching the later years'.

晩年をどこで過ごしたいですか。

Where do you want to spend your later years?

A slightly formal way to ask about future plans.

彼は晩年、病気で入院することが多かったです。

In his later years, he was often hospitalized due to illness.

Indicates a state or condition during that period.

晩年の作品は、若い頃の作品と違います。

The works from his later years are different from those of his youth.

Contrasts 晩年 with 若い頃 (younger days).

彼女は晩年を一人で静かに暮らしました。

She lived quietly by herself in her later years.

晩年を...暮らす (to live out one's later years).

晩年まで仕事を続けた人は、元気なことが多いです。

People who continue working until their later years are often healthy.

晩年まで (until one's later years).

その王様は、晩年を寂しく過ごしました。

That king spent his later years lonely.

Adverb + 過ごす to describe the quality of the later years.

夏目漱石は晩年、胃潰瘍に苦しんだと言われています。

It is said that Natsume Soseki suffered from stomach ulcers in his later years.

Typical biographical usage of 晩年.

父は晩年になってようやく、自分の時間を楽しめるようになりました。

It was only in his later years that my father finally became able to enjoy his own time.

晩年になってようやく emphasizes the lateness of the change.

晩年の彼は、以前よりもずっと穏やかな性格になっていました。

In his later years, he had become a much calmer person than before.

晩年の彼 (He in his later years) treats the person at a specific life stage as a topic.

晩年を穏やかに過ごすためには、健康が一番大切です。

In order to spend one's later years peacefully, health is the most important thing.

晩年を穏やかに過ごす (To spend one's later years peacefully).

その歴史的人物については、晩年の記録がほとんど残っていません。

Regarding that historical figure, almost no records of his later years remain.

晩年の記録 (Records of later years).

晩年の孤独を恐れる人は少なくありません。

There are many people who fear the solitude of their later years.

晩年の孤独 (The loneliness of later years).

彼は晩年、多くの慈善団体に寄付を行いました。

In his later years, he made donations to many charitable organizations.

Describes a specific action taken during the later years.

晩年の名声よりも、今の幸せの方が大切だ。

Current happiness is more important than fame in one's later years.

晩年の名声 (Fame in one's later years).

彼の晩年の作品には、人生の深みと諦念が感じられる。

In the works of his later years, one can feel the depth of life and a sense of resignation.

諦念 (teinen - resignation/philosophical acceptance) is a common theme in 晩年 discussions.

晩年を不遇のまま終えた芸術家は、死後に評価されることが多い。

Artists who ended their later years in misfortune are often appreciated after their death.

不遇 (fuguu - misfortune/lack of recognition).

独裁者としての晩年は、常に暗殺の恐怖に怯える日々だった。

His later years as a dictator were days spent constantly fearing assassination.

〜としての晩年 (Later years as a [role]).

晩年のレオナルド・ダ・ヴィンチは、フランス王の招きでアンボワーズに移り住んだ。

In his later years, Leonardo da Vinci moved to Amboise at the invitation of the French king.

Specific historical usage.

晩年を海外の別荘で悠々自適に過ごすのが、彼の夢だった。

Spending his later years in a villa abroad, living a life of leisure, was his dream.

悠々自適 (yuuyuu-jiteki - living a life of leisure and freedom).

晩年に至っても、彼の探究心は衰えることを知らなかった。

Even upon reaching his later years, his spirit of inquiry knew no decline.

晩年に至る (To reach one's later years).

その政治家は晩年、自伝の執筆に心血を注いだ。

In his later years, that politician poured his heart and soul into writing his autobiography.

心血を注ぐ (shinketsu o sosogu - to pour one's heart and soul into).

晩年の輝きは、それまでの苦労があってこそのものだ。

The brilliance of one's later years is only possible because of the hardships endured until then.

〜あってこその (Only possible because of...).

晩年様式（レイト・スタイル）という概念は、エドワード・サイードによって提唱された。

The concept of 'late style' was proposed by Edward Said.

Academic usage involving the concept of 'late style'.

彼は晩年、世俗的な名望を一切拒絶し、隠遁生活に入った。

In his later years, he rejected all worldly fame and entered a life of seclusion.

世俗的な名望 (worldly fame) and 隠遁 (seclusion).

晩年の作風の変化は、単なる老いではなく、精神的な昇華の結果である。

The change in his style during his later years is not mere aging, but the result of spiritual sublimation.

昇華 (shouka - sublimation/elevation).

晩年を汚すようなスキャンダルは、それまでの功績を無に帰しかねない。

A scandal that stains one's later years could potentially nullify all previous achievements.

晩年を汚す (To stain/disgrace one's later years).

漱石の晩年の境地である「則天去私」は、多くの日本人に影響を与えた。

Soseki's spiritual state in his later years, 'Sokuten Kyoshi' (follow heaven, leave the self), influenced many Japanese people.

Refers to a specific philosophical state (境地).

晩年の寂寥感を紛らわすために、彼はかつての教え子たちと文通を続けた。

To distract himself from the loneliness of his later years, he continued corresponding with his former students.

寂寥感 (sekiryoukan - sense of loneliness/desolation).

彼の晩年は、栄光に包まれた前半生とは対照的に、極めて質素なものだった。

In contrast to the glory of the first half of his life, his later years were extremely frugal.

前半生 (first half of life) vs 晩年.

晩年に至ってなお、権力への執着を捨てきれない老政治家の姿は醜悪ですらある。

The sight of an old politician unable to let go of his obsession with power even in his later years is almost hideous.

執着 (shuuchaku - obsession/attachment).

晩年における自己の相対化は、哲学的探求の究極の到達点と言えるだろう。

The relativization of the self in one's later years can be called the ultimate goal of philosophical inquiry.

Relativeization of self (自己の相対化).

ゲーテの『ファウスト』第二部は、まさに晩年の智恵が結晶した文学的金字塔である。

The second part of Goethe's 'Faust' is a literary monument in which the wisdom of his later years is crystallized.

金字塔 (kinjitou - monumental achievement).

晩年を「余生」として受動的に過ごすか、あるいは「結実」として能動的に生きるかは、個人の死生観に委ねられている。

Whether to spend one's later years passively as 'remaining days' or actively as 'fruition' depends on one's view of life and death.

Contrast between 余生 and 結実 (fruition).

晩年の沈黙が、饒舌な全盛期よりも雄弁にその思想を物語ることがある。

Sometimes the silence of one's later years speaks more eloquently of one's thoughts than the talkative heyday.

全盛期 (zenseiki - heyday/prime).

晩年の孤独は、社会的な断絶ではなく、自己との対話の深化であると捉えるべきだ。

The solitude of later years should be perceived not as social disconnection but as the deepening of dialogue with oneself.

深化 (shinka - deepening).

晩年を汚すまじと、彼は自ら表舞台を去る決断を下した。

Determined not to stain his later years, he made the decision to leave the public stage himself.

〜まじと (with the intention of not doing...).

晩年の回想録において、彼は過去の過ちを赤裸々に告白している。

In his memoirs from his later years, he confesses his past mistakes candidly.

赤裸々に (sekirara ni - candidly/nakedly).

晩年の安寧を脅かすような社会不安が、現代の日本には蔓延している。

Social anxieties that threaten the peace of one's later years are rampant in modern Japan.

安寧 (annei - peace/tranquility).