1.
infant, baby
A baby, especially one still being breastfed or bottle-fed, typically from birth to about one year old. This is the formal/medical term.
乳児を抱いた母親がいた。
There was a mother holding an infant.
この薬は乳児には使えません。
This medicine cannot be used on infants.
乳児健診で赤ちゃんの成長を確認してもらった。
We had the baby's growth checked at the infant health checkup.
USAGE: 乳児 is the formal and medical term for an infant. In casual conversation, 赤ちゃん is far more common. The character 乳 means "milk" or "breast," reflecting that the infant is at the nursing age.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 乳児健診 (infant health checkup)
- 乳児院 (infant home, nursery institution)
- 乳児用 (for infants)
AGE TERMINOLOGY:
- 乳児: infant (0-1 year)
- 幼児: toddler/young child (1-6 years)
- 児童: child (6-12 years)