I've known him since he was a snot-nosed little kid.
noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
greenhorn; inexperienced person
Derogatory term for a novice or someone considered immature and inexperienced, likening them to a runny-nosed child.
This isn't a job you can leave to a greenhorn like that.
Derogatory term for a young person, often used by older speakers; lacks the specific 'runny-nosed' nuance.
Standard kanji spelling.
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; less common but still encountered.
Uses the rare kanji 洟 for 'nasal mucus'; mostly seen in older texts.
Compound of 鼻 (hana, 'nose') + 垂らし (tarashi, 'dripping'), from the verb 垂らす (tarasu, 'to let hang down/drip'). Literally 'nose-dripper', referring to a child with a runny nose, later extended metaphorically to an inexperienced person.