How to say "young" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 若いわかいi-adjectiveThe default adjective for someone or something that is young in age; it covers the plain sense 'not old' and also 'youthful'. Usually the word you want for describing a person as young.「彼女は若いですか」「はい」↗"Is she young?" "Yes, she is."
- no-adjectiveA katakana loanword that works mainly as a noun for young people rather than as an ordinary adjective; to describe a person as young, 若い is the natural choice.
- 年少ねんしょうno-adjective, na-adjectiveA formal word stressing young age, used chiefly in writing and official contexts about children or minors; it sounds stiff in everyday conversation about a young person.
- 若々しいわかわかしいi-adjectiveDescribes a youthful look, energy, or manner; often said of someone who is no longer young but seems or looks young. Use it for 'young-looking', not for simply stating someone's age.
- 弱小じゃくしょうna-adjective, nounIn practice this word means 'small and weak' and is used of weak countries, teams, or organizations; it does not describe a person's age, so it is seldom the word you want for 'young'.
Use 「若い」 for the basic sense of being young in age, 「若々しい」 for a youthful look or manner, 年少 for formal references to young age, 「ヤング」 as a loanword noun for young people; 弱小 really means small and weak.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
