1.
youth; adolescence; one's younger days
The period of youth and adolescence, typically the teenage years through early twenties. Carries a nostalgic and idealized connotation, evoking energy, passion, and formative experiences. Widely used in Japanese media, especially for stories about high school life.
青春を楽しむ。
Enjoy one's youth.
部活に打ち込んだ日々が、私の青春だった。
The days I devoted myself to club activities were my youth.
高校時代は二度と戻らない青春の一ページだから、後悔のないように過ごしたい。
High school is a page of one's youth that never comes back, so I want to live it without regrets.
USAGE:
青春 literally means "blue/green spring" and comes from Chinese philosophy where spring and the color blue/green represent youth. It has a strongly nostalgic and romanticized tone and is a staple of Japanese pop culture, especially in 青春ドラマ (youth dramas) and 青春映画 (coming-of-age films).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 青春時代 (one's youth; adolescent years)
- 青春を捧げる (to devote one's youth to)
- 青春ドラマ (youth drama)
- 青春映画 (coming-of-age film)
- 青春の思い出 (memories of one's youth)
- 青春を謳歌する (to fully enjoy one's youth)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 青春: youth (nostalgic, idealized)
- 若さ: youthfulness (physical quality of being young)
- 思春期: puberty, adolescence (biological/developmental stage)