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.
どの年齢層を対象にしていますか？
What age-group are you targeting?
二十代の人々
People in their 20s
To refer to a demographic age bracket in formal, academic, or statistical contexts.
The standard term for 'age-group' in formal contexts like surveys, reports, or demographics.
この調査は幅広い年齢層を対象としている。
This survey targets a wide range of age-groups.
Used as a prefix meaning 'by age-group', common in statistics.
年齢層別のデータを見せてください。
Please show me the data by age-group.
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'.
若い世代はテクノロジーに詳しい。
The younger generation is tech-savvy.
To specify a decade of age, like 'people in their 20s'.
Attach to a number to mean 'in one's ~s'. For example, 二十代 (にじゅうだい) means 'in one's twenties'. Commonly used for decades from 10s to 80s.
彼はまだ二十代だ。
He is still in his twenties.
三十代の女性に人気がある。
It's popular among women in their thirties.
Means 'around ~ years old'. Used to give an approximate age range.
参加者は30歳前後が多かった。
Most participants were around 30 years old.
Literally 'from age X to age Y'. Used to specify an age range explicitly.
このゲームは6歳から12歳までを対象にしている。
This game is aimed at children aged 6 to 12.
To talk about age-groups informally, often using vague terms.
Refers to a particular age, often used for 'marriageable age' or 'that difficult age' (e.g., puberty). Context-dependent.
彼女はもう年頃だから、恋愛に興味がある。
She's at that age now, so she's interested in romance.
Means 'about the same age'. Used to group people loosely.
同じくらいの年の子と遊ぶのが好きだ。
He likes to play with kids his own age.
Means 'close in age'. Used to describe people who are near in age.
私たちは年が近いので、話が合う。
We are close in age, so we get along well.
To refer to broad life-stage groups.
Means 'children'. Often used to refer to the age-group of minors.
子供向けの番組です。
It's a program for children.
Means 'adults'. Used for the adult age-group.
Formal term for 'elderly people'. Often used in official contexts.
Polite term for 'elderly people', more common in everyday speech.
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).
Loanword from English, often used in compound terms like ジェネレーションギャップ (generation gap).
ジェネレーションギャップを感じる。
I feel a generation gap.
The admission fee for adults is 1000 yen.
高齢者に優しい社会を目指す。
We aim for a society that is kind to the elderly.
Give up your seat for the elderly.