幼
infancy, childhood
Readings
On'yomi
- ヨウ
Kun'yomi
- おさな.い
Nanori
- うぶ
- わか
Meaning
幼 centers on the early stage of life: infancy and childhood, when a person is still small and developing.
Most common words using 幼
20 of 85- 幼稚園ようちえんN3
kindergarten (in Japan, non-compulsory education from age 3 until primary school); preschool
- 幼いおさないN3
very young; little
- 幼児ようじN3
young child; toddler
- 幼女ようじょ
little girl
- 幼少ようしょう
infancy; childhood; tender age
- 幼なじみおさななじみN2
childhood friend; friend from infancy; old playmate
- 幼いと
young child (esp. a young girl)
- 幼よう
infancy; childhood; infant; child
- 幼虫ようちゅう
larva; grub; maggot
- 幼稚ようちN2
infancy
- 乳幼児にゅうようじN1
babies and preschool children
- 幼年ようねん
childhood; infancy
- 幼子おさなご
infant; baby; little child
- 幼生ようせい
larva; larvae
- 幼魚ようぎょ
fry (young fish)
- 幼体ようたい
immature form (of an organism); young animal
- 幼名ようめい
childhood name
- 幼鳥ようちょう
young bird; juvenile; chick
- 幼時ようじ
childhood; infancy
- 幼少期ようしょうき
(early) childhood
Study
Etymology
幼 combines 幺 (small, thread-like) and 力 (strength), suggesting the small strength of a young child.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 幺 looks like a tiny thread, and the right side 力 means strength. Picture a child with thread-thin strength: that's infancy.
Reading mnemonic
For ヨウ, imagine a young child saying 'yo!' as a first word: yo -> ヨウ, capturing the early childhood stage.