Meaning:

    “老年” is “old age,” and “漂” means “constantly on the move.” This term borrows from the concept of “北漂” (migrants living in Beijing) and brings into focus the situation faced by many elderly Chinese people. With their children leaving and settling down in big cities, these people are forced to leave their hometown at an old age to live with their children, helping raise their grandchildren and do household chores.

    Example:

    A:好久不见，你去哪儿了？

    Hǎojǐu bújiàn, nǐ qù nǎr le?

    Long time no see. Where have you been?

    B: 我女儿生了孩子，我去帮忙照顾，一去就是半年。

    Wǒ nǚer shēng le háizi, wǒ qù bāngmáng zhàogù, yīqù jìushì bànnián。

    My daughter gave birth to a baby, and I was there helping take care of them. I was away for half a year.

    A: 原来你也当了老年漂。我跟儿子住了两年多，孙子上幼儿园才回来。

    Yuánlái nǐ yě dāng le lǎoniánpiāo。Wǒ gēn érzi zhù le liǎngnián duō, sūnzi shàng yòuéryuán cái huílai。

    So you too became an “old-age migrant.” I lived two years with my son and returned only after my grandson started kindergarten.