わかい
When you want to describe someone as young in Japanese, you'll use the adjective わかい (wakai).
This is an い-adjective, which means it ends in い and its forms will change predictably.
For example, if you want to say "young person," you'd combine わかい with ひと (hito), which means person, to get わかいひと (wakai hito).
It's a useful word to know when talking about ages or describing people.
When using the adjective 「若い」(wakai) meaning 'young', it's important to remember that it follows the rules for い-adjectives in Japanese. This means it can directly modify a noun, like in 「若い人」(wakai hito), meaning 'a young person'.
To make it negative, you drop the final 「い」and add 「くない」, so 「若くない」(wakakunai) means 'not young'. For the past tense, you drop the final 「い」and add 「かった」, resulting in 「若かった」(wakakatta), which means 'was young'.
When combining it with other clauses, you can use the て-form: 「若くて」(wakakute) to connect it, for example, 'young and energetic'. Remember these patterns to use 「若い」effectively in various sentence structures.
Alright, let's talk about the Japanese adjective わかい (wakai). This word means "young." Simple, right? But like many words, knowing where and how it's actually used in real life makes all the difference. This isn't about memorizing definitions; it's about understanding context. So, let's dive into where you're really going to hear and use わかい.
- DEFINITION
- わかい (wakai) is an い-adjective meaning "young." It can describe people, animals, or even concepts like a young company or a young idea, though it's most commonly applied to age.
§ At Work
In a professional setting, you might hear わかい used to describe younger employees, new talent, or even the age of a company. It's often used neutrally, but sometimes it can imply a lack of experience (though not always negatively).
あのチームはわかい社員が多いですね。
- あのチーム (ano chiimu): that team
- 社員 (shain): employee(s)
- 多い (ooi): many
- ね (ne): isn't it? (particle for confirmation)
Translation hint: "That team has many young employees, don't they?"
彼はわかいですが、経験豊富です。
- 彼 (kare): he
- ですが (desuga): but
- 経験豊富 (keiken houfu): experienced
Translation hint: "He is young, but he is very experienced."
§ At School
In a school environment, わかい is often used to describe students, younger teachers, or even to contrast generations. It's pretty straightforward here.
わかい先生は生徒に人気があります。
- 先生 (sensei): teacher
- 生徒 (seito): student(s)
- 人気があります (ninki ga arimasu): is popular
Translation hint: "Young teachers are popular with students."
クラスで一番わかいのは誰ですか？
- クラス (kurasu): class
- 一番 (ichiban): most, #1
- 誰 (dare): who
- ですか (desu ka): is it? (question marker)
Translation hint: "Who is the youngest in the class?"
§ In News and Media
News reports or general media often use わかい when discussing demographics, trends among younger generations, or the age of public figures. It's usually descriptive and factual.
わかい世代の投票率が低い。
- 世代 (sedai): generation
- 投票率 (toohyouritsu): voter turnout rate
- 低い (hikui): low
Translation hint: "The voter turnout rate among the younger generation is low."
彼は史上最年少の市長で、まだとてもわかいです。
- 彼 (kare): he
- 史上最年少 (shijou sainenshou): youngest in history
- 市長 (shichou): mayor
- まだ (mada): still
- とても (totemo): very
Translation hint: "He is the youngest mayor in history and is still very young."
You'll notice that in all these contexts, わかい is simply doing its job: describing something as young. Pay attention to the particles and sentence structures in the examples. That's how you really internalize how to use it naturally. Keep practicing!
Let's talk about some common mistakes English speakers make when using the Japanese word わかい (wakai), meaning 'young'. While it seems straightforward, there are a couple of key points to remember to use it naturally.
§ Mistake 1: Using わかい for objects
The biggest mistake is trying to use わかい to describe objects or things as 'young'. In English, you might say 'young tree' or 'young wine'. But in Japanese, わかい is almost exclusively for people and sometimes animals. It refers to a stage of life, not just being new or recently made.
Here’s what NOT to do:
❌ わかい木 (wakai ki) - 'young tree'
❌ わかいワイン (wakai wain) - 'young wine'
Instead, stick to using わかい for living beings:
若い女性 (wakai josei)
- Hint
- A young woman.
若い犬 (wakai inu)
- Hint
- A young dog.
§ Mistake 2: Overusing it for 'new' or 'recent'
Similar to the above, don't use わかい when you mean 'new' in the sense of 'recent' or 'fresh'. For example, if you want to say 'new information' or 'recent news', わかい is not the word. Again, わかい implies a young stage of life.
Incorrect usage:
❌ 若い情報 (wakai jōhō) - 'young/new information'
Correct usage, showing its focus on age:
彼はまだ若いです。(Kare wa mada wakai desu.)
- Hint
- He is still young.
§ Mistake 3: Sounding rude when referring to adults
While わかい literally means 'young', directly calling an adult 'young' (especially if they are older than you or in a position of authority) can sometimes come across as impolite or imply immaturity, depending on the context and relationship. It’s usually better used for children, teenagers, or general observations about youth.
For example, if a young employee says to their older boss:
❌ 課長は若いですね。(Kachō wa wakai desu ne.) - 'Section chief, you are young.' (Could sound condescending.)
It's generally safer to use it for yourself or people clearly much younger:
私はまだ若いから、頑張れます。(Watashi wa mada wakai kara, ganbaremasu.)
- Hint
- Since I'm still young, I can do my best.
By keeping these points in mind, you'll avoid common pitfalls and use わかい much more naturally in your Japanese conversations!
How Formal Is It?
"年少の職員は、経験豊富な同僚から多くのことを学びます。 Younger employees learn a lot from their experienced colleagues."
"彼女は見た目より若いです。 She is younger than she looks."
"あの人、まだ若いのにすごいね。 That person is amazing for being so young."
"この子猫はまだちっちゃいね。 This kitten is still tiny/young."
"最近のヤングはどんな音楽聴いてるの？ What kind of music are young people listening to these days?"
مستوى الصعوبة
Common hiragana, short word.
Common hiragana, short word.
Common pronunciation, short word.
Common pronunciation, short word.
ماذا تتعلّم بعد ذلك
المتطلبات الأساسية
تعلّم لاحقاً
متقدم
قواعد يجب معرفتها
い-adjectives can directly modify nouns. Place the い-adjective before the noun it describes.
わかい せんせい (wakai sensei) - a young teacher
To make an い-adjective negative, change the final い to くない.
わかくない (wakakunai) - not young
To connect two い-adjectives, change the final い of the first adjective to くて.
わかくて かっこいい (wakakute kakkoii) - young and cool
When an い-adjective is used as a predicate (at the end of a sentence), it keeps its い ending.
かれは わかい です (kare wa wakai desu) - He is young.
To express something became or became young, change the final い of the い-adjective to く and add なる (naru).
わかくなる (wakaku naru) - to become young
أمثلة حسب المستوى
かのじょは とても わかい です。
She is very young.
かれは わかい せんせい です。
He is a young teacher.
あの こどもは わかい ですか？
Is that child young?
わたしは わかくない です。
I am not young.
わかい ひとたちが たくさん います。
There are many young people.
この いぬは まだ わかい です。
This dog is still young.
あなたの おかあさんは わかい ですか？
Is your mother young?
わかい ときは スポーツを よく しました。
When I was young, I often played sports.
これはわかいねこです。
This is a young cat.
わかいせんせいはげんきです。
The young teacher is energetic.
かのじょはまだわかいです。
She is still young.
わかいとき、よくあそびました。
When I was young, I played a lot.
わかいひとたちがたくさんいます。
There are many young people.
このきはわかいです。
This tree is young.
わかいころのしゃしんです。
This is a photo from my youth.
わかいこえが聞こえます。
I hear a young voice.
この歌手はまだわかいですが、素晴らしい歌唱力を持っています。
This singer is still young, but has amazing singing ability.
わかい頃、よく友達と旅行に行きました。
When I was young, I often traveled with friends.
彼はわかいのに、もう会社の社長です。
Even though he's young, he's already the president of the company.
わかい世代の人たちは、新しいテクノロジーに詳しいです。
People of the younger generation are knowledgeable about new technology.
彼女は見た目はわかいですが、実は私より年上です。
She looks young, but she's actually older than me.
わかい社員たちが積極的に意見を出し合いました。
The young employees actively exchanged opinions.
この都市はわかい人たちに人気の観光地です。
This city is a popular tourist destination for young people.
わかい頃から夢を追いかけてきました。
I've been chasing my dreams since I was young.
彼はその若さゆえに、向こう見ずな行動が多い。
He often acts recklessly due to his youth.
「ゆえに」indicates reason or cause.
若気の至りで、とんでもない失敗をしてしまった。
I made a terrible mistake due to youthful indiscretion.
「若気の至り」is a set phrase meaning 'youthful folly' or 'indiscretion'.
彼女は若くして会社の役員に抜擢された。
She was appointed as an executive of the company at a young age.
「〜て」can indicate the cause or reason for the following action.
あの頃の私たちは、若かったが故に怖いもの知らずだった。
At that time, we were fearless because we were young.
「〜が故に」is a more formal way to express 'because of' or 'due to'.
若いうちの苦労は買ってでもせよ、と言うが本当にそう思う。
They say you should even buy hardships when you're young, and I truly believe that.
「買ってでもせよ」is a proverb meaning 'to experience hardships willingly'.
彼は若いながらも、老練な交渉術を身につけている。
Despite being young, he has acquired shrewd negotiation skills.
「〜ながらも」means 'while' or 'although', indicating a contrast.
若者の間で、レトロファッションが再燃している。
Retro fashion is experiencing a resurgence among young people.
「〜の間で」means 'among' or 'between'.
若年層の投票率の低下が社会問題となっている。
The decline in voter turnout among younger generations has become a social issue.
「若年層」refers to younger age groups.
تلازمات شائعة
العبارات الشائعة
彼女はわかいです。(Kanojo wa wakai desu.)
She is young.
わかい学生が多い。(Wakai gakusei ga ooi.)
There are many young students.
まだわかいから大丈夫。(Mada wakai kara daijoubu.)
It's okay because you're still young.
彼は年のわりにわかい。(Kare wa toshi no wari ni wakai.)
He looks young for his age.
わかい頃の思い出。(Wakai koro no omoide.)
Memories from when I was young.
わかい人たちに人気です。(Wakai hitotachi ni ninki desu.)
It's popular among young people.
わかい先生に教わっています。(Wakai sensei ni osowatteimasu.)
I am being taught by a young teacher.
わかいアイデアが必要だ。(Wakai aidea ga hitsuyou da.)
Fresh/young ideas are needed.
わかい時にしかできないこと。(Wakai toki ni shika dekinai koto.)
Things you can only do when you're young.
わかいっていいですね。(Wakai tte ii desu ne.)
It's good to be young, isn't it?
يُخلط عادةً مع
わかい (young) and ふかい (deep) sound somewhat similar but have completely different meanings. Pay attention to the initial consonant sound.
わかい (young) and おおい (many) can sometimes sound alike to new learners, especially when spoken quickly. Their meanings are very distinct.
わかい (young) and はやい (early/fast) can be confused due to similar vowel sounds, but the initial consonant and overall structure are different. Always listen carefully.
تعبيرات اصطلاحية
"若い人"
Young person / young people.
若い人はエネルギーがありますね。(Young people have a lot of energy, don't they?)
neutral"若い頃"
One's youth / when one was young.
若い頃はよく旅行しました。(I traveled a lot when I was young.)
neutral"若いっていいな"
It's good to be young. / Youth is great.
彼らを見てると、若いっていいなと思う。(Watching them, I think it's good to be young.)
informal"若い血"
Young blood (new, energetic members).
チームに若い血を入れるべきだ。(We should bring some young blood into the team.)
neutral"若気の至り"
Folly of youth / youthful indiscretion.
それは若気の至りだったと反省している。(I regret that it was a youthful indiscretion.)
neutral"若く見える"
To look young.
彼女は年齢より若く見えます。(She looks younger than her age.)
neutral"若返る"
To become young again / to rejuvenate.
温泉に入って若返った気分だ。(I feel rejuvenated after taking a hot spring bath.)
neutral"若い世代"
Younger generation.
若い世代の意見も聞くべきだ。(We should also listen to the opinions of the younger generation.)
neutral"若い目"
A fresh perspective / young eyes.
若い目から見ると、違う意見もあるだろう。(From a fresh perspective, there might be different opinions.)
neutral"若い盛り"
Prime of one's youth.
彼はまだ若い盛りなのに、しっかりしている。(He is still in the prime of his youth, but he is very responsible.)
neutralسهل الخلط
Like わかい, this word also means 'young'. However, おさない specifically refers to extreme youth or immaturity, often used for infants, toddlers, or childlike behavior in adults.
わかい is a general term for young age, while おさない implies a very young, infantile, or immature state.
彼女はまだ幼い。 (Kanojo wa mada osanai.) - She is still very young/immature. (Suggests she is childlike or childish)
This phrase literally means 'age is young', and it's very close in meaning to わかい.
While similar, としがわかい emphasizes the 'age' aspect more directly. わかい can be used more broadly for a 'young look' or 'young in spirit', not just strictly age.
彼は年が若いのに、とても落ち着いている。 (Kare wa toshi ga wakai noni, totemo ochitsuite iru.) - Even though he is young in age, he is very calm.
This is a noun meaning 'young person' or 'youth'. It's related to わかい but is a different part of speech.
わかい is an adjective ('young'), while わかもの is a noun ('young person').
最近の若者はインターネットをよく使う。 (Saikin no wakamon wa intaanetto o yoku tsukau.) - Recent young people/youth use the internet a lot.
This word means 'child', and children are typically young.
こども refers to a person who is a child. わかい is an adjective describing the state of being young, which can apply to adults who are not children.
公園で子供たちが遊んでいる。 (Kouen de kodomo-tachi ga asonde iru.) - Children are playing in the park.
しんじん means 'newcomer' or 'rookie'. Often, newcomers are also young.
しんじん refers to someone who is new to a group, job, or field, regardless of their age. They might happen to be young, but their defining characteristic is being new. わかい specifically refers to age.
彼は会社の新人だ。 (Kare wa kaisha no shinjin da.) - He is a new employee at the company.
كيفية الاستخدام
When describing a person's age as young, わかい (wakai) is the appropriate word. For example, 「わかい先生 (wakai sensei)」means "a young teacher." You can also use it for things like 「わかい木 (wakai ki)」which means "a young tree." Remember, it's an い-adjective, so it conjugates like other い-adjectives.
A common mistake is confusing わかい (wakai) with こども (kodomo) which means "child." While a child is young, こども specifically refers to a child, not the adjective 'young.' Another mistake is trying to use it for things like 'new' or 'fresh' in a general sense, where other words like あたらしい (atarashii) for 'new' would be more appropriate.
نصائح
Basic use of わかい
You can use わかい (wakai) directly before a noun to describe it as young. For example, わかい人 (wakai hito) means young person.
Using with です
When わかい is used at the end of a sentence, it often pairs with です (desu). For example, 彼女はわかいです (Kanojo wa wakai desu) means She is young.
Negative form
To say something is not young, you change い to くない: わかくない (wakakunai). So, 彼はわかくないです (Kare wa wakakunai desu) means He is not young.
Past tense
The past tense of わかい is わかかった (wakakatta), meaning was young. For example, 彼はわかかったです (Kare wa wakakatta desu) means He was young.
Past negative tense
The past negative form is わかくなかった (wakakunakatta), meaning was not young. For example, 彼女はわかくなかったです (Kanojo wa wakakunakatta desu) means She was not young.
Comparisons with わかい
To say younger than, you can use より (yori). For example, 彼は私よりわかいです (Kare wa watashi yori wakai desu) means He is younger than me.
Using with そうです
わかそうです (wakasou desu) means looks young or seems young. For example, 彼女はわかそうです (Kanojo wa wakasou desu) means She looks young.
Age in Japanese culture
In Japanese culture, acknowledging someone's age, especially if they are older, is often important for politeness. While 'young' (わかい) is a simple description, be mindful of context.
Not for objects
わかい is generally used for living beings, especially people. You wouldn't typically use it to describe an object as 'young' in the sense of being new or fresh. For objects, use words like 新しい (atarashii - new).
わかもの (Wakamono)
Related to わかい, you'll often hear the noun わかもの (wakamono), which means young person or youth. It's a common collective term.
الأسئلة الشائعة
10 أسئلةThe Japanese word for 'young' is わかい (wakai).
わかい is an い-adjective, which means it describes nouns. For example, わかい人 (wakai hito) means 'young person'.
Yes, you can use わかい for things too, though it's less common than for people. For instance, you could describe a new plant as わかい木 (wakai ki), meaning 'young tree'.
To make わかい negative, you change the い to くない: わかくない (wakakunai), meaning 'not young'.
You would say あの人はわかいです (ano hito wa wakai desu). 'あの人' means 'that person', 'は' is a topic particle, and 'です' is a polite copula.
The past tense of わかい is わかかった (wakakatta), meaning 'was young'.
You can ask わかいですか？ (wakai desu ka?). Adding 'か' makes it a question.
わかい itself is neutral. When you add 'です' (desu) at the end, as in わかいです, it becomes polite. For very formal situations, you might rephrase, but for everyday use, わかいです is fine.
Yes. For example, to say 'She is younger than me,' you could say 彼女は私よりわかいです (Kanojo wa watashi yori wakai desu). 'より' means 'than'.
A common phrase is 若いうちに (wakai uchi ni), meaning 'while one is young' or 'in one's youth'. For example, 若いうちにたくさん旅行したい (wakai uchi ni takusan ryokou shitai) means 'I want to travel a lot while I'm young'.
اختبر نفسك 90 أسئلة
ジョンさんはとても___ です。(John is very young.)
The sentence describes John as 'very young.' 'わかい' means 'young.'
あのねこはまだ___ です。(That cat is still young.)
To say 'that cat is still young,' you need 'わかい' (young).
わたしのいもうとは___ です。(My younger sister is young.)
The sentence is about a younger sister, so 'わかい' (young) fits best.
かれは___ せんせいです。(He is a young teacher.)
To describe him as a 'young teacher,' use 'わかい' (young).
このきはまだ___ です。(This tree is still young.)
To say 'this tree is still young,' 'わかい' is the correct adjective.
彼女は___ こどもがいます。(She has young children.)
To say 'she has young children,' 'わかい' (young) is the appropriate word.
This sentence means 'I am young.' The standard Japanese sentence structure places the topic (私 - I) first, followed by the particle は (wa), the adjective (わかい - young), and finally the です (desu) to indicate politeness and completion of the sentence.
This sentence means 'Is he young?' The structure is similar to a statement, but adding か (ka) at the end turns it into a question. 彼 (kare) means 'he'.
This sentence means 'This dog is young.' この (kono) means 'this', and 犬 (inu) means 'dog'.
彼女はとても___です。 (She is very young.)
The sentence describes her as 'very young', so 'わかい' (young) is the correct adjective.
あの男性は___ですが、経験豊富です。 (That man is young, but very experienced.)
The sentence implies a contrast: 'young' yet 'experienced'. 'わかい' (young) fits this context.
___頃、よく公園で遊びました。 (When I was young, I often played in the park.)
'わかい頃' means 'when I was young', fitting the sentence's context.
彼は私より___です。 (He is younger than me.)
The sentence states he is 'younger than me', so 'わかい' (young) is the appropriate choice.
___気持ちで新しいことに挑戦しましょう。 (Let's challenge new things with a youthful spirit.)
'わかい気持ち' means 'youthful spirit', which aligns with the idea of challenging new things.
この会社には___社員が多いです。 (There are many young employees in this company.)
The sentence describes the company having 'young employees', so 'わかい' (young) is the correct adjective to modify '社員' (employees).
Choose the correct kanji for わかい.
若い (wakai) means young. The other options are 安井 (yasui - cheap), 辛い (karai - spicy), and 苦い (nigai - bitter).
Which sentence correctly uses わかい?
わかい is an adjective describing age. 'He is very young' is the correct usage. Books, food, and cars don't typically use わかい to describe their age in this way.
What is the opposite of わかい?
When referring to people, the opposite of わかい (young) is としをとっている (toshi o totte iru - old). However, in a general sense, ふるい (old for objects) is often presented as the opposite of new/young things. The provided options make ふるい the closest antonym in a broad sense, though a more direct antonym for 'young' (people) would be 'old' (people).
「わかい」is used to describe the age of a person.
Yes, 「わかい」specifically means 'young' and is used to describe the age of people or animals.
「わかい」can be used to describe an old, antique item.
No, 「わかい」means young. To describe an old, antique item, you would use words like 「ふるい」(furui - old) or 「こっきゅうひん」(kokkyuuhin - antique).
The politeness level of 「わかい」changes depending on whether it's used with 「です」 or 「だ」.
Adding 「です」 makes it polite (e.g., わかいです), while 「だ」 makes it casual (e.g., わかいだ). This is a general rule for i-adjectives in Japanese.
This is a young cat.
The young teacher is energetic.
When she was young, she traveled a lot.
Read this aloud:
このきはまだわかいです。
Focus: わかい (waka-i)
قلت:
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Read this aloud:
わかいころのしゃしんです。
Focus: わかいころ (waka-i koro)
قلت:
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Read this aloud:
彼はわかいのにとてもしずかです。
Focus: わかいのに (waka-i noni)
قلت:
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彼女はとても___ので、実年齢よりずっと若く見えます。
The sentence means 'She looks much younger than her actual age because she is very ___.' 'わかい' (young) fits the context perfectly. 'せまい' (narrow), 'ふるい' (old), and 'おもい' (heavy) do not make sense here.
この地域は___人が多く住んでいます。とても活気があります。
The sentence means 'Many ___ people live in this area. It's very lively.' 'わかい' (young) implies liveliness, which fits the second part of the sentence. 'さむい' (cold), 'たかい' (tall/expensive), and 'ながい' (long) are not suitable.
彼はまだ___ですが、仕事ではベテランのように働きます。
The sentence means 'Although he is still ___, he works like a veteran.' 'わかい' (young) creates a contrast with 'working like a veteran,' which is the intended meaning. 'あかるい' (bright), 'ひろい' (wide), and 'おそい' (slow/late) do not fit the context.
最近のテクノロジーは、___世代にとっては学ぶのが簡単です。
The sentence means 'Recent technology is easy for the ___ generation to learn.' 'わかい' (young) generation is typically associated with easily adopting new technology. 'くらい' (dark), 'つよい' (strong), and 'いたい' (painful) are irrelevant.
彼女の心はいつまでも___、新しいことに挑戦し続けています。
The sentence means 'Her heart is always ___, and she continues to challenge new things.' 'わかい' (young) implies a spirit of youth and eagerness to try new things. 'さびしい' (lonely), 'うつくしい' (beautiful), and 'かなしい' (sad) do not fit the context of challenging new things.
彼は見かけは___ですが、経験は豊富です。
The sentence means 'He looks ___, but he has a lot of experience.' 'わかい' (young) creates a contrast with 'having a lot of experience,' which is the intended meaning. 'あまい' (sweet), 'ちいさい' (small), and 'きたない' (dirty) do not fit the context.
Choose the sentence where 「わかい」 (wakai) is used correctly.
「わかい」 (wakai) describes age, meaning 'young'. It's typically used for people, animals, or sometimes things that are new or in an early stage, but not for inanimate objects like books or cars in the same way as English 'young'.
Which sentence best describes a 'young' person using 「わかい」 (wakai)?
This sentence directly describes a person as young ('彼はわかい'), but also implies they have a lot of experience ('経験豊富です'), which is a common nuance when talking about a young person with unexpected maturity or skill.
Select the most appropriate usage of 「わかい」 (wakai) in the following options.
This sentence means 'She is much younger than she looks,' which is a very natural and common way to use 'wakai' when describing someone's appearance relative to their age.
「わかい」 (wakai) can be used to describe an old person who looks youthful.
Yes, you can use 「わかい」 (wakai) to say someone 'looks young' even if they are chronologically older, often with phrases like 「わかく見える」 (wakaku mieru - 'looks young').
The phrase 「わかい時」 (wakai toki) means 'when it's young time'.
「わかい時」 (wakai toki) means 'when (I/you/they) were young' or 'in one's youth'. It refers to a period of time, not a 'young time' in a literal sense.
It is grammatically correct to say 「わかいです」 (wakai desu) to politely state that someone is young.
「わかいです」 (wakai desu) is the polite form of the i-adjective 「わかい」 (wakai), and it is perfectly correct to use it when politely stating someone is young.
The speaker is talking about a young person who has a lot to learn.
The speaker remembered a dream from their younger days.
The speaker mentions that many young families live in this area.
Read this aloud:
若い世代の意見も聞くべきだと思います。
Focus: wakai
قلت:
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Read this aloud:
彼はずいぶん若く見えますね。
Focus: waka-ku miemasu
قلت:
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Read this aloud:
若い頃はよく海外旅行に行きました。
Focus: wakai koro
قلت:
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Imagine you are describing someone to a friend. Write three sentences about a person you know who is 'young' using the word 'わかい'. Explain what makes them seem young.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
私の弟はわかいです。彼はいつもとても元気で、新しいことに挑戦するのが好きです。まだ大学生なので、将来の夢がたくさんあります。(My younger brother is young. He is always very energetic and likes to try new things. He is still a university student, so he has many dreams for the future.)
Write a short paragraph (3-4 sentences) contrasting two people, one who is 'young' (わかい) and another who is older. Describe a difference in their hobbies or daily activities that highlights their age difference.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
私のいとこはわかいので、週末はいつも友達と出かけて、新しいカフェを探したり、スポーツをしたりしています。一方、祖母は年上ですが、家で本を読んだり、庭の手入れをしたりするのが好きです。彼らの活動は年齢によってとても違います。(My cousin is young, so on weekends they always go out with friends, look for new cafes, or play sports. On the other hand, my grandmother is older, but she likes to read books at home or tend to her garden. Their activities are very different due to their age.)
You are writing a comment on a blog post about health and lifestyle. Write 3-4 sentences giving advice to 'young people' (わかい人たち) on how to stay healthy. Use 'わかい' at least once.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
わかい人たちにとって、健康はとても大切です。毎日適度な運動をして、バランスの取れた食事を心がけましょう。そして、十分な睡眠をとることも忘れないでください。これらの習慣は、将来の健康にもつながります。(For young people, health is very important. Try to get moderate exercise every day and eat a balanced diet. And don't forget to get enough sleep. These habits will also lead to future health.)
この文章から、佐藤さんについて正しいものはどれですか？ (Based on this passage, which of the following is true about Sato-san?)
Read this passage:
佐藤さんは今年の春に大学を卒業しました。彼はとてもわかいですが、新しい会社でリーダーシップを発揮しています。周りの同僚たちは、彼がわかいのに素晴らしい仕事をしていると感心しています。佐藤さんの目標は、もっと新しい技術を学ぶことです。
この文章から、佐藤さんについて正しいものはどれですか？ (Based on this passage, which of the following is true about Sato-san?)
文章の冒頭で「今年の春に大学を卒業しました」と述べられています。(It is stated at the beginning of the passage that 'He graduated from university this spring.')
文章の冒頭で「今年の春に大学を卒業しました」と述べられています。(It is stated at the beginning of the passage that 'He graduated from university this spring.')
この町について、最近変わったことは何ですか？ (What has changed recently about this town?)
Read this passage:
私が住んでいる町は、昔は静かでわかい人が少なかったです。しかし、最近は新しいカフェやお店がたくさんできて、わかい家族が引っ越してくるようになりました。そのため、町はとても活気があります。
この町について、最近変わったことは何ですか？ (What has changed recently about this town?)
「最近は新しいカフェやお店がたくさんできて、わかい家族が引っ越してくるようになりました」と書かれています。(It is written that 'recently, many new cafes and shops have been built, and young families have started to move in.')
「最近は新しいカフェやお店がたくさんできて、わかい家族が引っ越してくるようになりました」と書かれています。(It is written that 'recently, many new cafes and shops have been built, and young families have started to move in.')
この文章で「わかい心」とは何を意味しますか？ (In this passage, what does 'young heart' mean?)
Read this passage:
私の祖父は80歳ですが、とてもわかい心を持っています。彼は新しいテクノロジーに興味があり、いつもスマートフォンでニュースを読んでいます。週末には自転車に乗って、町を散歩するのが好きです。周りの人は、祖父を見ると「本当にわかいですね」とよく言います。
この文章で「わかい心」とは何を意味しますか？ (In this passage, what does 'young heart' mean?)
祖父が80歳であるにもかかわらず、新しいテクノロジーに興味を持ち、活動的であることから「わかい心」は精神的な若さを表しています。(Despite his grandfather being 80 years old, he is interested in new technology and is active, so 'young heart' expresses mental youth.)
祖父が80歳であるにもかかわらず、新しいテクノロジーに興味を持ち、活動的であることから「わかい心」は精神的な若さを表しています。(Despite his grandfather being 80 years old, he is interested in new technology and is active, so 'young heart' expresses mental youth.)
This sentence means 'He is still very young.' The standard Japanese sentence structure is Subject + Topic Marker (は) + Adverb + Adjective + です.
This sentence means 'My younger sister is younger than me.' The comparison structure 'X より Y' means 'Y compared to X'.
This sentence means 'That teacher looks very young.' '見た目 (mitame)' means 'appearance' and 'が' is a subject marker here.
彼女はいつも___心を持っています。
「若い心」は英語で 'young heart' と訳され、若々しい精神状態を表します。
この地域は___世代の移住者が増えています。
「若い世代」は 'younger generation' を意味し、新しい移住者が増加している状況を示します。
彼は年齢の割には___見えます。
「若く見える」は 'looks young' という意味で、実年齢よりも若々しく見える様子を表します。
彼女の___頃の写真は、今とは全く違います。
「若い頃」は 'when she was young' を意味し、過去の若い時期を指します。
あの会社は___経営陣によって大きく変わりました。
「若い経営陣」は 'young management team' を指し、若手が中心となって経営を行っていることを示唆します。
___頃の夢を追いかけるのは素晴らしいことです。
「若い頃の夢」は 'dreams from one's youth' を意味し、若かった時に抱いていた夢を指します。
She is much younger than she looks.
It's wonderful to chase your dreams from when you were young.
That singer is extremely popular with the younger generation.
Read this aloud:
あなたは若い頃、どんな夢がありましたか？
Focus: どんな (donna)
قلت:
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Read this aloud:
最近の若い人たちは、どのようなことに興味がありますか？
Focus: どのような (dono you na)
قلت:
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Read this aloud:
若い頃の思い出について話してください。
Focus: 思い出 (omoide)
قلت:
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The correct order to form the sentence 'He is still very young' is '彼はまだとても若い'.
The correct order to form the sentence 'Everyone is a young student' is 'みんな若い学生です'.
The correct order to form the sentence 'There are many dreams in one's youth' is '若い頃にはたくさんの夢がある'.
She is much younger than she looks.
This company actively incorporates the opinions of the younger generation.
He displayed his talent from a young age.
Read this aloud:
若い頃の夢は何でしたか？
Focus: わかいころのゆめはなんでしたか
قلت:
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Read this aloud:
最近の若い人たちは、SNSを頻繁に利用します。
Focus: さいきんのわかいひとたちは、えすえぬえすをひんぱんにりようします
قلت:
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Read this aloud:
若い社員の意見も尊重すべきです。
Focus: わかいしゃいんのいけんもそんちょうすべきです
قلت:
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Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence: 彼の行動は彼の___を表している。
「若さ」は「わかい」の名詞形で、ここでは彼の行動が彼の年齢的若さを表しているという意味になります。「幼さ」は子供っぽい未熟さを指し、「新しさ」は物事の斬新さを、「軽薄さ」は軽率で思慮に欠ける様子を指します。文脈から、行動が「若い」という特徴を示していると解釈するのが最も自然です。
次の文で、「わかい」の持つ意味合いと最も近いのはどれですか？ 彼は考えがとても若く、斬新なアイデアを次々と生み出す。
この文脈での「考えが若い」は、単に年齢が若いというだけでなく、柔軟で固定観念にとらわれない、新しい発想力があるという意味合いが強いです。したがって、「新鮮な」が最も近い意味合いとなります。「未熟な」や「経験不足の」、「世間知らずの」は、否定的なニュアンスを含みますが、ここではポジティブな意味合いで使われています。
次のうち、慣用句として「若い」が使われている文はどれですか？
「ワインが若い」という表現は、ワインがまだ熟成しておらず、飲み頃ではない状態を指す慣用句です。これは、人や物の年齢が若いという直接的な意味合いとは異なり、未熟さや未完成さを比喩的に表現しています。他の選択肢は、年齢そのものや、若い世代という直接的な意味で「若い」が使われています。
「彼はまだ若いけれど、その言動には老練な政治家のような風格がある。」という文で、「若い」は年齢的な若さを直接的に表している。
この文における「若い」は、文字通り彼の年齢が若いことを指しています。その後に続く「老練な政治家のような風格」という表現が、年齢とは異なる彼の成熟した言動を対比させています。
「その木はまだ若くて、幹も細い。」という文で、「若い」は比喩的に使われている。
この文脈での「若い」は、木がまだ成長途中であり、成熟していない状態を直接的に表現しており、比喩的な意味合いは含まれていません。
「彼の決断は、経験の浅い若者らしいものだった。」という文における「若者らしい」は、必ずしも年齢的な若さのみを指すわけではない。
「若者らしい」という表現は、単に年齢が若いことだけでなく、経験が浅い、未熟である、あるいは無鉄砲であるといった、若年層に一般的に見られる特性や行動様式を指すことがあります。この文脈では、経験の浅さが強調されています。
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Basic use of わかい
You can use わかい (wakai) directly before a noun to describe it as young. For example, わかい人 (wakai hito) means young person.
Using with です
When わかい is used at the end of a sentence, it often pairs with です (desu). For example, 彼女はわかいです (Kanojo wa wakai desu) means She is young.
Negative form
To say something is not young, you change い to くない: わかくない (wakakunai). So, 彼はわかくないです (Kare wa wakakunai desu) means He is not young.
Past tense
The past tense of わかい is わかかった (wakakatta), meaning was young. For example, 彼はわかかったです (Kare wa wakakatta desu) means He was young.
محتوى ذو صلة
هذه الكلمة بلغات أخرى
مزيد من كلمات general
いくつか
B1An unspecified small number of things; some, a few.
ちょっと
A2A little; a moment; a bit. Small amount or short time.
すこし
A2A little; a few.
さっき
A2A little while ago; a short time past.
能力
A1Nouryoku refers to the mental or physical power, skill, or capacity required to perform a specific task or function. It can describe both innate talent and skills acquired through learning and practice.
異常
A1A word used to describe something that deviates from the normal state, standard, or expected pattern. It often implies a problem, malfunction, or an extraordinary occurrence that requires attention or investigation.
～について
A2About, concerning; indicates topic.
〜について
B1About, concerning; on the subject of.
～ぐらい
A2about, approximately
ぐらい
A2About; approximately; to the extent of.
