How to say "youngster" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 若者わかものnounThe neutral general word for a young person or young people; this is what you want for 'the youth' with no dismissive coloring, as in discussion of what the young do or think.
- 小僧こぞうnounA belittling word for a boy or young man, closer to 'brat' than to a neutral 'youngster'; it suits an older speaker scoffing at a youth as an impudent kid.
- 子こnoun, noun (suffix)Its core sense is 'child,' so reach for it when 'youngster' means simply a kid rather than a young adult; for young people as a group, 若者 is the natural choice.
- 若造わかぞうnounA derogatory term for a young person regarded as an inexperienced greenhorn; it belongs in the mouth of an older speaker putting a youth down, not in neutral description.
Use 若者 for young people in general, 子 for a plain child, and reserve the dismissive 小僧 and the derogatory 若造 for putting down a young person as immature or inexperienced.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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