Describes a person or living thing that is physically frail, lacking strength, or prone to illness. Often used for children or people with a delicate constitution.
彼はひ弱な体つきをしている。
He has a weak physique.
Delicate children often catch colds.
weak; sickly; frail
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling.
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the kanji 弱 is not needed.
The prefix ひ (sometimes written 非) can imply a negative or weak quality, combined with 弱 (weak). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word has long been used to describe physical frailty.