NEET

にーと

noun

NEET; person not in education, employment, or training

1. NEET; person not in education, employment, or training

acronym for 'Not in Education, Employment, or Training'; a young person (typically 15-34) who is unemployed, not in school, and not receiving job training; became widely used in Japan in the 2000s

息子(むすこ)がニートになった。

My son became a NEET.

ニート問題(もんだい)は社会(しゃかい)全体(ぜんたい)で取(と)り組(く)むべきだ。

The NEET problem should be addressed by society as a whole.

ニートから脱出(だっしゅつ)するためにハローワークに通(かよ)い始(はじ)めた。

I started going to Hello Work (employment agency) to escape being a NEET.

Social term

NEET (ニート) originated as a UK government term and was adopted in Japan in the mid-2000s. In Japan, it specifically refers to young people (typically ages 15-34) who are not working, studying, or receiving vocational training.

Common collocations

ニートになる - to become a NEET
ニートから脱出(だっしゅつ)する - to stop being a NEET
ニート問題(もんだい) - the NEET problem
ニート対策(たいさく) - countermeasures for NEETs

Related words

引(ひ)きこもり - social withdrawal (often overlaps but distinct)
フリーター - part-time job hopper
無職(むしょく) - unemployed (more general term)

Note on usage

While NEET is sometimes used casually or jokingly online, it can carry negative connotations and should be used carefully in formal contexts.

Related Words

Compare: 引(ひ)きこもり (social withdrawal)

Compare: フリーター (part-time job hopper)

Related: 無職(むしょく) (unemployed)

Compare: 無職者(むしょくしゃ) (unemployed person)

general

Added 2026.1.28 13:46 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

08500/08752_niito