Learn Japanese while reading Manga with our new Manga Reader Tool!

Nihongo

Classroom

How to say 'Young' in Japanese | 若い

Wondering how to say 'Young' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Young is 'Wakai', written as 若い in Japanese.'Young' in hiragana is わかい.

    word

    若い

    Meaning

    Young

    Reading

    わかい

    wakai

    Kanji

    若Young

    Explanation

    The Japanese adjective '若い (わかい)' means 'young'. It is used to describe someone or something that is in the early stage of life or development. This word can be applied to people, animals, plants, or even abstract concepts like ideas or organizations. For example: She is young「彼女は若い」(かのじょはわかい). This tree is still young「この木はまだ若い」(このきはまだわかい). The adjective can also imply inexperience or freshness, as in '若い考え (わかいかんがえ) (young/naive idea)'. It is important to note that '若い' is often used in a positive or neutral context, but it can sometimes carry a nuance of immaturity depending on the situation.

    Part Of Speech

    adjective

    Kanji JLPT

    N3

    Kanji Grade

    6

    Frequency

    380

    Composition

    kanji-hiragana

    Handwriting

This word is an i-adjective. To learn how it transforms in different tenses and forms, explore all its conjugations.

Kanji in the Word 若い

This word contains 1 kanji character:

  • kanji

    若

    Meaning

    Young

Hiragana in the Word 若い

This word contains 1 Hiragana character :

  • hiragana

    い

    Reading

    I

Words Related to 若い Through the Kanji 若

These 5 Words contain the Kanji 若 as well.

  • word

    若し

    Meaning

    If

  • word

    若者

    Meaning

    Youth

  • word

    若しくは

    Meaning

    Or

  • word

    若干

    Meaning

    Few, Some

  • word

    若々しい

    Meaning

    Youthful

Learn the Word 若い

Let's make sure you fully understand this word.

What does 'Wakai' (若い) mean?

'Wakai' means 'Young' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.