Translation guide
In Japanese, referring to an age-group depends on context. Common terms include 年齢層 for formal or statistical use, 世代 for generations, and age-specific words like 二十代 for people in their twenties. In casual conversation, age-groups are often described using ～代 or ～歳前後.
What age-group are you targeting?
People in their 20s
To refer to a demographic age bracket in formal, academic, or statistical contexts.
To refer to a generation defined by shared experiences or birth years.
Refers to a generation in a social or historical sense, like 'baby boomer generation'.
To specify a decade of age, like 'people in their 20s'.
To talk about age-groups informally, often using vague terms.
To refer to broad life-stage groups.
Means 'children'. Often used to refer to the age-group of minors.
年齢層 is a statistical or demographic term for age brackets, while 世代 refers to a generation defined by shared experiences or birth cohort. Use 年齢層 for surveys and 世代 for cultural or historical groups.
The suffix ～代 (だい) is the most natural way to say 'in one's twenties/thirties' etc. It attaches to the Japanese number for the decade: 二十代 (20s), 三十代 (30s), 四十代 (40s), and so on. Note that 十代 (じゅうだい) means 'teenager' (10-19).
The younger generation is tech-savvy.
Loanword from English, often used in compound terms like ジェネレーションギャップ (generation gap).
I feel a generation gap.
He is still in his twenties.
It's popular among women in their thirties.
Means 'around ~ years old'. Used to give an approximate age range.
Most participants were around 30 years old.
Literally 'from age X to age Y'. Used to specify an age range explicitly.
This game is aimed at children aged 6 to 12.
Refers to a particular age, often used for 'marriageable age' or 'that difficult age' (e.g., puberty). Context-dependent.
She's at that age now, so she's interested in romance.
Means 'about the same age'. Used to group people loosely.
He likes to play with kids his own age.
Means 'close in age'. Used to describe people who are near in age.
We are close in age, so we get along well.
It's a program for children.
Means 'adults'. Used for the adult age-group.
The admission fee for adults is 1000 yen.
Formal term for 'elderly people'. Often used in official contexts.
We aim for a society that is kind to the elderly.
Polite term for 'elderly people', more common in everyday speech.
Give up your seat for the elderly.