幼 稚 園 児(ようちえんじ)

ようちえんじ

noun

kindergartener; nursery school child

1. kindergartener; child attending kindergarten

A child who attends 幼稚園 (kindergarten), typically aged 3–5 in Japan. Kindergartens are under the Ministry of Education and focus on early childhood education.

幼稚園児(ようちえんじ)が公園(こうえん)で遊(あそ)んでいる。

Kindergarteners are playing in the park.

幼稚園児(ようちえんじ)でも読(よ)める絵本(えほん)。

A picture book that even a kindergartener can read.

息子(むすこ)は来年(らいねん)から幼稚園児(ようちえんじ)になるので、入園(にゅうえん)準備(じゅんび)を始(はじ)めた。

My son will start kindergarten next year, so we've begun preparing for enrollment.

Composed of 幼稚園(ようちえん) (kindergarten) + 児(じ) (child). In Japan, 幼稚園(ようちえん) is managed by the Ministry of Education (文部科学省(もんぶかがくしょう)) and focuses on educational development, unlike 保育園(ほいくえん) (daycare/nursery), which is under the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

Japanese school-age terms

幼稚園児(ようちえんじ): kindergartener (ages 3–5)
保育園児(ほいくえんじ): daycare child (ages 0–5)
小学生(しょうがくせい): elementary school student (ages 6–12)
中学生(ちゅうがくせい): junior high school student (ages 12–15)
高校生(こうこうせい): high school student (ages 15–18)

Common collocations

幼稚園児(ようちえんじ)向(む)け: aimed at kindergarteners
幼稚園児(ようちえんじ)の保護者(ほごしゃ): parents of kindergarteners
幼稚園児(ようちえんじ)でもわかる: even a kindergartener can understand

Similar words

保育園児(ほいくえんじ): daycare child — attends 保育園(ほいくえん), which emphasizes childcare over education and accepts younger children
園児(えんじ): kindergartener/nursery child — shorter form that can refer to children at either 幼稚園(ようちえん) or 保育園(ほいくえん)

Related Words

Compare: 保育園児(ほいくえんじ) (daycare child)

general

Added 2026.4.9 5:41 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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