幼: the kanji for infancy; young
幼 is a JLPT N2 kanji that means infancy; young. Below are its readings, 5 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
幼 is written in 5 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
幼 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 5 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ヨウ (you)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 幼児ようじ · yōji | small child; toddler |
| 幼稚園ようちえん · yōchien | kindergarten |
| 幼少ようしょう · yōshō | early childhood |
おさない (osanai)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 幼いおさない · osanai | very young; childish |
| 幼なじみおさななじみ · osananajimi | childhood friend |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 娘は近くの幼稚園に通っている。Musume wa chikaku no yōchien ni kayotte iru.My daughter goes to a kindergarten nearby.
- 幼い頃、祖父の家によく遊びに行った。Osanai koro, sofu no ie ni yoku asobi ni itta.When I was little, I often went to play at my grandfather's house.
- 彼とは幼なじみです。Kare to wa osananajimi desu.He and I are childhood friends.
- 幼児を一人で家に残してはいけない。Yōji o hitori de ie ni nokoshite wa ikenai.You must not leave a small child home alone.
- 彼女は幼少の頃から英語を学んでいた。Kanojo wa yōshō no koro kara eigo o manande ita.She had been learning English since early childhood.
Questions about 幼
How many strokes does 幼 have?
幼 is written in 5 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 幼?
The on readings are you (ヨウ). The kun readings are osanai (おさない).
What JLPT level is 幼?
N2. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N2 is designed to match the former Level 2.
More JLPT N2 kanji
People and relationships
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 幼
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.