The Meaning of seishun [青春] In Japanese

青春
せいしゅん
Romaji: seishun N3

What does 青春 mean?

Translation and Meaning

youth, adolescence, spring of life

Definition

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.

Type

Noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

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.

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

Usage

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.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine a clear blue sky (青) and blooming spring (春) together signaling the vibrant, renewing energy of youth; link 青 with freshness and 春 with new beginnings to recall the word quickly.

Variations

  • 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)

Example Phrases

  • 青春 を 取り戻すように 新しい 仕事 を 始める。
    Seishun o torimodosu yō ni atarashii shigoto o hajimeru.
    I’m starting a new job to regain my youth.
    Lista:
    • 青春 (Seishun) – youth
    • を (o) – object marker
    • 取り戻すように (torimodosu yō ni) – in order to regain
    • 新しい (atarashii) – new
    • 仕事 (shigoto) – job
    • を (o) – object marker
    • 始める (hajimeru) – to begin
    In this sentence, 「青春」 is a noun meaning youth; the phrase 青春を取り戻すように expresses purpose, showing why the action is done.
青春