若い

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 若い人が増えた。▶ —
   Young people have increased.
2. 心はまだ若い。▶ —
   My heart is still young.

Collocations

Mnemonic

Wakai (若い) is the i-adjective for "young." The kanji 若 = 艹 (grass) plus 右 (right hand), from classical "young grass growing tenderly" — youth and softness. Paired with toshiyori (the elderly). Cluster: wakamono (young person / youth), wakasa (youthfulness), wakagaeru (grow young again). Cultural code: aging Japan has the 65-plus share at 29.1 percent in 2023 (worlds highest) and the under-15 share at 11.5 percent (worlds lowest), driving the core vocabulary shoushi koureika (low birthrate plus aging). Wakamono bunka (youth culture) clusters around Z-sedai (Generation Z), yutori sedai (the "leeway" generation educated 2002-2010 under relaxed curricula), and satori sedai (the "enlightened" generation born in the 1990s with low consumer drive). Idioms: ki ga wakai (young at heart, often praising lively elders), wakage no itari (a foolish move driven by youthful impulse). Korean jeolmda, Chinese nianqing, English young diverge. JLPT N5 wakai integrates with Japans demographic cultural code.

Quick check

1. Japans 2023 share of population aged 65 and over?

   • 29.1 percent (worlds highest, the shoushi koureika code)
   • 15.0 percent
   • 40.5 percent
   • 20.0 percent