Translation guide
Describes someone who is inexperienced, immature, or new to a situation. Japanese uses various expressions related to youth, newness, or lack of experience.
To say someone is inexperienced or new to something, often with a nuance of being naive or not yet fully capable.
Literally 'experience is shallow.' A straightforward, neutral way to say someone lacks experience.
Emphasizing youth combined with inexperience, often implying a lack of worldly wisdom.
A humble or formal term meaning 'young and inexperienced.' Often used self-deprecatingly.
経験が浅い focuses on lack of experience, while 未熟 implies a lack of skill or maturity. 未熟 can sound more critical.
He's still wet behind the ears, so he needs a bit more guidance.
Means 'immature' or 'unskilled.' Often used for someone who hasn't fully developed their abilities.
I'm uneasy about entrusting an important task to a wet-behind-the-ears newcomer.
Literally 'new rice,' meaning a novice or rookie. Casual and commonly used in workplace contexts.
The wet-behind-the-ears clerk was fumbling at the register.
Refers to someone who has just started out in a profession or activity; a beginner or fledgling.
A wet-behind-the-ears reporter got the scoop.
Literally 'green two-year-old,' a somewhat old-fashioned or literary term for a callow youth. Can sound condescending.
What does that wet-behind-the-ears kid know?
I'm still wet behind the ears, but I look forward to working with you.
Literally 'immature person.' Similar to 未熟 but as a noun. Can be used humbly or critically.
This is too much responsibility for someone as wet behind the ears as me.
Literally 'beak is yellow,' an idiom directly analogous to 'wet behind the ears,' referring to a fledgling bird. Somewhat dated or literary.
That wet-behind-the-ears youngster is impertinent.
Being wet behind the ears can't be helped, but I want you to fix your immature attitude.
There is no direct equivalent of 'wet behind the ears' in common Japanese. Using a literal translation like 耳の後ろが濡れている would be nonsensical. Use the expressions above instead.