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幼稚 (ようち, youchi) Japanese meaning: infancy | Kotomora
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In older writing, 幼稚 can appear as a noun meaning a very young age.
Usage patterns 〈 事こと 〉 が 幼よう 稚ち だ for something (an idea, behavior, argument) to be childish/immature
I think his way of thinking is still childish.
幼よう 稚ち な 〈 物もの 〉 a childish/immature (excuse, idea, behavior, etc.)
An excuse that childish won't work.
幼よう 稚ち な 段だん 階かい a rudimentary/undeveloped stage (of a technology, theory, etc.)
This technology is still at a rudimentary stage.
Related words 子供っぽい is a casual, everyday word for childish behavior that can be affectionate or mildly negative, while 幼稚 is more formal and usually carries a sharper critical tone.
未熟 means inexperienced or not fully developed, often used for skills, judgment, or fruit, whereas 幼稚 specifically implies a childish, immature quality.
稚拙 is a more formal word focused on clumsy or poorly executed writing, art, or technique, while 幼稚 is broader and centers on an immature or childish quality.
Opposites 成熟 means mature or fully developed, the direct opposite of 幼稚's sense of being underdeveloped or immature.
幼稚 describes childish, immature behavior or thinking, the direct opposite of the composed maturity implied by 大人気.
Don't confuse with 幼児 is a noun meaning a young child, while 幼稚 is an evaluative adjective meaning childish or immature; the shared kanji 幼 can cause learners to mix them up.
幼少 shares the kanji 幼 with 幼稚 but means 'childhood/early years', while 幼稚 means 'childish/immature' and describes behavior or thinking.
幼稚 (a noun/na-adjective) means 'childish/infantile' and is usually more pointedly critical, while 幼い is an i-adjective that can neutrally describe a young child as well as immature behavior.
Written forms 幼よう 稚ち Usage 99%
Standard kanji spelling. The kana spelling ようち is readable but is not the usual way to write this word.
ようち Usage 1%
Etymology A Sino-Japanese compound written with 幼, 'young,' and 稚, 'young; immature.' The spelling transparently matches the modern meanings of youth, immaturity, and lack of development.
N3
幼稚園 is the noun for 'kindergarten', while 幼稚 (written with the same first two kanji) is an adjective meaning 'childish' or 'infantile'.
幼よう
稚ち
産さん
業ぎょう
保ほ
護ご
論ろん
infant-industry argument; theory of infant-industry protection
