幼(おさな)い

おさない
i-adjective
very young, childish
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Present幼(おさな)い幼(おさな)くない
Past幼(おさな)かった幼(おさな)くなかった
て form幼(おさな)くて幼(おさな)くなくて
Adverbial幼(おさな)く—
Conditional ば幼(おさな)ければ幼(おさな)くなければ
Conditional たら幼(おさな)かったら幼(おさな)くなかったら
1. very young
Being at an early stage of life.
幼(おさな)い子供(こども)。
A young child.
幼(おさな)い頃(ころ)の思(おも)い出(で)。
Memories from early childhood.
彼(かれ)は幼(おさな)い頃(ころ)から絵(え)が好(す)きだった。
He has liked drawing since he was very young.
2. childish, immature
Having characteristics of a young child.
考(かんが)えが幼(おさな)い。
The thinking is immature.
言(い)うことが幼(おさな)い。
What they say is childish.
もう大人(おとな)なのに、やることが幼(おさな)くて困(こま)る。
Even though they're an adult, their behavior is so childish it's troubling.

幼(おさな)い is an i-adjective describing early childhood (roughly ages 1-6) or childlike/immature qualities.

TWO MEANINGS:
1. Very young (neutral): 幼(おさな)い子供(こども) (young child)
2. Immature/childish (negative): 考(かんが)えが幼(おさな)い (thinking is immature)

FORMS:

  • Adverbial: 幼(おさな)く
  • Noun form: 幼(おさな)さ (youth, immaturity)

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • 幼(おさな)い頃(ころ): in early childhood
  • 幼馴染(おさななじ)み: childhood friend
  • 幼(おさな)い顔(かお): childlike face

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 幼(おさな)い: very young (early childhood, or immature)
  • 若(わか)い: young (broader age range, teens to young adults)
  • 子供(こども)っぽい: childish (often pejorative)

RELATED:

  • 幼児(ようじ): infant, young child
  • 幼稚園(ようちえん): kindergarten

Related Words

Synonym: 若(わか)い (young (broader age range))
Synonym: 子供(こども)っぽい (childish (pejorative))
Related: 幼児(ようじ) (infant, young child)
Related: 幼稚園(ようちえん) (kindergarten)
general
Added 2026.1.9 17:23 · Revised 2026.4.6 8:58
02000/02337_osanai