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Kotomora

若

young, if, perhaps, possibly, low number, immature

JLPTN3StatusJōyō · grade 6FrequencyTop 500Strokes8

Readings

On'yomi

  • ジャク
  • ニャク
  • ニャ

Kun'yomi

  • わか.い
  • わか-
  • も.しくわ
  • も.し
  • も.しくは
  • ごと.し

Nanori

  • わく
  • わこ

Meaning

若 centers on the idea of something not yet fully developed: youth, immaturity, or a small number. The conditional 'if' sense extends from the idea of something still tentative or uncertain, like a young plant that could go either way.

Most common words using 若

20 of 164
  • 若いわかい
    N5

    young; youthful

  • 若しもし
    N5

    if; in case; supposing

  • 若しくはもしくは
    N1

    or; otherwise

  • 若者わかもの
    N2

    young person; youngster; young people; (the) youth

  • 若しかもしか

    if; in case

  • 若干じゃっかん
    N2

    some; few; a number of; a little (bit)

  • 若しかしてもしかして
    N1

    perhaps; possibly; maybe; by any chance; if I'm not mistaken

  • 若しももしも
    N3

    if; in case; supposing

  • 若手わかて

    young person

  • 若年じゃくねん

    youth

  • 若布わかめ
    N1

    wakame (species of edible brown seaweed, Undaria pinnatifida)

  • 若葉わかば

    new leaves; young leaves; fresh verdure

  • 若しやもしや

    perhaps; possibly; by some chance; by some possibility

  • 若松わかまつ

    young pine (tree)

  • 若妻わかづま

    young wife

  • 若返るわかがえる
    N1

    to be rejuvenated; to feel young again

  • 若菜わかな

    young greens; young herbs

  • 老若男女ろうにゃくなんにょ
    N1

    men and women of all ages

  • 若返りわかがえり

    rejuvenation; restoration of youth

  • 若狭わかさ

    Wakasa (former province located in the south of present-day Fukui Prefecture)

Explore all words using 若 →

Study

Etymology

若 originally depicted a person combing hair, suggesting compliance or softness, which led to meanings like 'young' and 'if'. The modern form combines 艹 (grass) and 右 (right), but this is a simplification; the historical connection to the original pictograph is uncertain.

Meaning mnemonic

Picture a young sprout 艹 just emerging, still tender and not yet fully grown. Below it, 右 (right) suggests a hand guiding it—the sprout is young and its future is still conditional, like an 'if' waiting to be decided.

Reading mnemonic

For ジャク, imagine a young plant that is just a jack-in-the-box waiting to spring up: jack -> ジャク, and the young sprout is full of potential.