Word
青春
Meaning in Englishyouth, springtime of life, adolescent
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
What does 青春 mean? It denotes the period of youth and vitality, referring to the energetic phase of early life; used to describe youthfulness, dreams, and coming-of-age experiences.
Main meanings
- Youth as a life stage, roughly adolescence to early adulthood, with emphasis on vitality and potential.
- Energetic, hopeful, and often romantic or creative period in literature and media.
- Nostalgic or celebratory nuance when depicting or recalling youth in culture.
How to use it
Used as a noun to denote youth; in literature, cinema, and everyday speech it can appear in phrases like 青春を謳歌する and 青春時代, signaling discussions of youth, energy, and coming of age in various contexts.
Variants and close terms
- 若さ (wakasa) — youth, freshness
- 青年 (seinen) — youth, young person
- 青春期 (seishunki) — adolescence
- 青春時代 (seishun jidai) — era of youth
- 老年 (rounen) — old age (antonym)
Composition
- 青: blue/green, often signaling freshness, vitality, and a lively feel
- 春: spring, the season of growth and renewal
- Combined: 青春 refers to the spring of life, i.e., youth and vitality, a period of potential and energy
Word class
Noun (名詞)