ひよこ

ひよこ
noun
chick, baby bird; novice
animal-birdperson
1. chick, baby bird
A young chicken or baby bird, especially one that has just hatched.
ひよこが生(う)まれた。
A chick was born.
ひよこが親鳥(おやどり)のあとをついていく。
The chicks follow after the mother bird.
卵(たまご)からひよこが殻(から)を破(やぶ)って出(で)てくるのを見(み)た。
I watched a chick break through the shell and emerge from the egg.
2. novice, beginner, fledgling
A person who is new and inexperienced at something.
まだひよこだから。
I'm still a beginner, so...
社会人(しゃかいじん)としてはまだひよこだ。
As a working adult, I'm still a fledgling.
ひよこ同然(どうぜん)の新人(しんじん)に大(おお)きなプロジェクトは任(まか)せられない。
You can't entrust a big project to a newcomer who is practically a novice.

Writing

Usually written in hiragana. The kanji 雛(ひよこ) exists but is rarely used for this word.

SENSE 1 — CHICK:
Refers specifically to a baby chicken or newly hatched bird. The word is onomatopoeic, imitating the ピヨピヨ sound chicks make.

SENSE 2 — NOVICE:
Used figuratively for someone who is inexperienced. Often self-deprecating or affectionate — less harsh than 素人(しろうと) (amateur) or 未熟者(みじゅくもの) (unskilled person).

Common collocations

Related Words

Compare: 雛鳥(ひなどり) (chick, baby bird, fledgling)
general
Added 2026.2.8 8:54 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
10500/10501_hiyoko