幼よう

よ

う

Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

Bound noun used almost exclusively in the pattern 幼にして, meaning 'while still a child' or 'in one's childhood'. Not used as a standalone word for 'child'.

彼かれは幼ようにして両りょう親しんを失うしなった。
He lost his parents while still a child.
幼ようにしてその才さい能のうを発はっ揮きした。
He displayed his talent in childhood.

See all 8 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

幼ようにして〈動どう詞し〉while still a child, ~ (happened)
彼かれは幼ようにして両りょう親しんを失うしなった。
He lost both his parents while still a child.

Kanji

幼infancy, childhood

Related words

幼よう児じN3
幼児 is the common, freely used word for a young child, while 幼 is a bound literary form that appears almost only in the fixed phrase 幼にして.

Don't confuse with

子こ供どもN5
子供 is the everyday word meaning 'child' and can be used anywhere, whereas 幼 looks like it might mean the same thing but is a literary bound form restricted to the set phrase 幼にして.

Word family· 33

幼よう児じN3
young child; toddler · child over 1 but not yet of school age
幼よう女じょ
little girl; young girl
幼よう少しょう
infancy; childhood; tender age
幼よう虫ちゅう
larva; grub; maggot
幼よう稚ちN2
infancy; very young age · childish; immature; infantile · rudimentary; underdeveloped; primitive

Show 17 more

乳にゅう幼よう児じN1
infants and toddlers; babies and preschool children
幼よう年ねん
childhood; infancy
幼よう生せい
larva; larvae
幼よう魚ぎょ
fry; young fish
幼よう体たい
immature form; young animal; juvenile
幼よう鳥ちょう
young bird; juvenile bird; chick
幼よう時じ
childhood; infancy
幼よう名めい
childhood name
幼よう保ほ
kindergartens and day-care centers
幼よう卒そつ
kindergarten graduate; uneducated person; idiot · kindergarten attendee (as opposed to nursery school)
幼よう君くん
young lord; young master
幼よう帝てい
young emperor
幼よう弱じゃく
young and weak; immature and vulnerable
幼よう木ぼく
young tree; sapling
幼よう根こん
radicle
幼よう獣じゅう
young animal; juvenile animal
幼よう童どう
little child; young child

See all 33 in Explore →

Etymology

The kanji 幼 means 'young' or 'childhood'. The reading よう is the on'yomi. The word is a bound form used in classical or literary contexts.