小児(しょうに)

しょうに
noun
child; infant (medical/formal)
1. child; infant; young child
A formal or medical term for a young child, typically from infancy through early childhood.
小児科(しょうにか)に行(い)く。
To go to the pediatrics department.
この薬(くすり)は小児(しょうに)には使用(しよう)できません。
This medicine cannot be used for children.
小児(しょうに)の予防接種(よぼうせっしゅ)は生後(せいご)二(に)か月(げつ)から始(はじ)まる。
Children's vaccinations begin from two months after birth.

Primarily used in medical, legal, and administrative contexts. In everyday conversation, 子(こ)ども is used instead. The most commonly encountered compound is 小児科(しょうにか) (pediatrics), which every parent in Japan will use.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 小児科(しょうにか): pediatrics; children's medicine
  • 小児科医(しょうにかい): pediatrician
  • 小児(しょうに)病棟(びょうとう): children's ward
  • 小児(しょうに)ぜんそく: childhood asthma
  • 小児(しょうに)用(よう): for children (on packaging and dosage)

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 子(こ)ども: child — the standard everyday word
  • 幼児(ようじ): infant; toddler — specifically younger children, roughly ages 1-6
  • 乳児(にゅうじ): baby; infant — specifically babies under one year old
  • 児童(じどう): schoolchild — used in educational and legal contexts for elementary-age children
general
Added 2026.5.6 23:21
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