1.
weak; feeble; effeminate; soft
Often carries a negative connotation, suggesting lack of physical or mental toughness
柔弱な体を鍛える。
To train a weak body.
彼は見た目は柔弱だが、意志は強い。
He looks frail, but his willpower is strong.
祖父は、現代の若者は柔弱になったと嘆いている。
My grandfather laments that today's young people have become soft.
Describes physical or mental weakness, often with a nuance of being too delicate or pampered. The word is literary and somewhat old-fashioned, typically used by older speakers or in written criticism. It can describe both physical frailty and a lack of resilience or toughness.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 柔弱な体質: a frail constitution
- 柔弱な性格: a weak/timid character
- 柔弱に育つ: to grow up soft/pampered
- 柔弱な青年: an effeminate young man
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 軟弱: weak, spineless (similar meaning but more commonly used; stronger negative tone)
- 虚弱: physically frail, delicate (medical/physical weakness without the moral judgment)
- ひ弱: delicate, fragile (casual; often used for appearance)