also: わらんべ · わらわ
noun
Dated term for a child; now mostly used in set phrases, songs, or literary contexts. In modern Japanese, 子供 is the usual word.
わらべ歌を歌って遊んだ。
We sang a children's song and played.
昔話には、わらべがよく登場する。
Children often appear in old tales.
Archaic reading; may appear in historical or literary contexts.
Kana spelling is common in modern usage, especially in compounds like わらべ歌.
The standard modern word for 'child'. 童 is dated and poetic.
The origin is uncertain. The kanji 童 has long been used for 'child', and the reading わらべ is native Japanese.