少年 shàonián early youth
early youth; youngster; (literary) youth; young man
How to remember 少年: 少 few + 年 year = early youth.
Characters
How it is used
- Noun for early youth, roughly the pre-teen to mid-teen years, in a somewhat literary or formal register: 少年时代 (shàonián shídài) one's youth/adolescent years.
- Contrast with 青少年 (qīngshàonián), the broader modern term for "teenagers/youth" collectively, and 青年 (qīngnián), young adults; 少年 skews younger and slightly more old-fashioned.
Example sentences
- 他是个日本少年。 Tā shì gè rìběn shàonián.He's a Japanese boy.
- 少年们很活泼。 Shàoniánmen hěn huópo.The young boys are very spirited.