General term for a young person, one's own offspring, or a group of children. Can be used in both singular and plural contexts.
Children are playing in the park.
彼はまだ子供だ。
He is still a child.
She raised three children by herself.
We're expecting to have a child next year.
She gave birth to her second child last year.
My grandmother often looks after the children.
Dad scolded the child for the mischief.
少年 refers specifically to a boy of roughly elementary to middle-school age, while 子供 is gender-neutral and covers a wider range of ages.
子供 can refer to one child or children in general, while 子供たち explicitly marks a group of multiple children.
子供 is the neutral, everyday word for a child, while わっぱ is a rough, derogatory term used to scold or belittle.
子供 is the common everyday word for a child, while 小児 is a formal or medical term used mainly in clinical or academic contexts.
子供 is the standard, nationwide word for 'child', while 童 (わらし) is a Tōhoku dialect term with the same meaning, often used in folklore contexts.
子供 is the neutral, standard word for a child, while 砂利 is rough slang used mainly by adults referring to kids underfoot.
子供 is the everyday, neutral word for a child, while 子弟 is a formal term for one's own children or younger family members, often in a hierarchical context.
子供 is the standard, neutral Japanese word for children, while キッズ is a casual loanword often used in commercial or trendy contexts like fashion, events, and menus.
子供 is the everyday word for 'child', while 児 is a more formal, often suffix-like term used mainly in compounds such as 幼児 or 女児.
子供 is the neutral, standard word for a child, while ガキ is slangy and often carries a rude or affectionate derogatory nuance.
子供 is the standard, neutral Japanese word for a child, while キッド is a casual loanword with a trendier, more informal feel.
childish; immature; childlike
women and children
Search-only kanji form; not used in modern writing.
Search-only kanji form; not used in modern writing.