若い(わかい)

わかい
adjective (i-adjective)
young
1. young
Having lived or existed for only a short time.
若(わか)い人(ひと)だ。
He's a young person.
彼女(かのじょ)は見(み)た目(め)より若(わか)い。
She's younger than she looks.
若(わか)い時(とき)にたくさん旅行(りょこう)した。
I traveled a lot when I was young.
若(わか)い頃(ころ)は毎日(まいにち)運動(うんどう)していた。
When I was young, I exercised every day.
若(わか)い社員(しゃいん)が多(おお)い会社(かいしゃ)なので、雰囲気(ふんいき)が明(あか)るくて活気(かっき)がある。
The company has many young employees, so the atmosphere is bright and lively.

若(わか)い is an i-adjective meaning "young," typically describing people but also applicable to organizations or things.

FORMS:

  • Adverb: 若(わか)く (若(わか)く見(み)える - to look young)
  • Noun form: 若(わか)さ (youth, youthfulness)

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • 若(わか)い頃(ころ)/時(とき): when (someone was) young
  • 若(わか)い人(ひと)/者(もの): young person
  • 若(わか)い世代(せだい): younger generation
  • まだ若(わか)い: still young

RELATED WORDS:

  • 若者(わかもの): young person, youth
  • 若返(わかがえ)る: to become younger, rejuvenate

USAGE:
Unlike English "young," 若(わか)い is rarely used for very small children - 小(ちい)さい or specific age terms are preferred. 若(わか)い often implies teenage to early 30s.

Related Words

Related: 若者(わかもの) (young person)
Antonym: 年寄(としよ)り (elderly person)
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Added 2026.1.8 21:37 · Revised 2026.4.2 14:09
01500/01525_wakai