未み熟じゅく児じ

み

じゅ

く

じ

Meanings

1

premature baby; preterm infant

Refers to a baby born before 37 weeks of gestation. Used in both medical and general contexts.

未み熟じゅく児じは特とく別べつなケアが必ひつ要ようです。
Premature babies need special care.
彼かの女じょは未み熟じゅく児じとして生うまれましたが、今いまは元げん気きです。
She was born as a premature baby, but she is healthy now.

See all 7 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉が未み熟じゅく児じで生うまれるfor someone to be born prematurely
弟おとうとは未み熟じゅく児じで生うまれたので、しばらく入にゅう院いんしていた。
My little brother was born premature, so he stayed in the hospital for a while.
未み熟じゅく児じを出しゅっ産さんするto give birth to a premature baby
彼かの女じょは妊にん娠しん32週しゅうで未み熟じゅく児じを出しゅっ産さんした。
She gave birth to a premature baby at 32 weeks of pregnancy.

Kanji

未un-, not yet, hitherto
熟mellow, ripen, mature
児newborn babe, child, young of animals

Related words

早そう産ざん児じ
早産児 is the more clinical term for a baby born prematurely, while 未熟児 is the everyday and medical word often emphasizing low weight or underdevelopment.

Don't confuse with

早そう産ざん
早産 refers to the act of giving birth prematurely, whereas 未熟児 refers to the baby itself who is born that way.
新しん生せい児じ
新生児 means any newborn baby up to about four weeks old regardless of gestational age, while 未熟児 specifically means a baby born before term.

Counted with

人にん
Used because 未熟児 (premature babies) are counted as people.

Word family

未み熟じゅく児じ網もう膜まく症しょう
retinopathy of prematurity

Built from

未み熟じゅく+児じ

Etymology

Compound of 未熟 (immature, unripe) and 児 (child, infant). The term is a straightforward medical and general descriptor.