幼(おさな)い

おさない

i-adjective

very young, childish

Conjugation

	Affirmative	Negative
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.

Usage

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 words

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 2026.10.4 9:59

02000/02337_osanai