This is the 2588th most frequent Japanese word.
年上
Someone older.
Here, '年上' is used as a noun combined with a numeric value and the phrase 'than me' to express age difference.
彼は私より五歳年上です。
He is five years older than me.
In this sentence, '年上' is describing the best friend as older, emphasizing the relationship dynamic.
私の親友は年上ですが、とても気軽に話せます。
My best friend is older than me, but I can talk to them very easily.
Here, '年上の人' specifies 'people who are older,' showing '年上' being used as a descriptor in a broader societal context.