青少年

• Pinyin: qīng shào nián
• Hanzi breakdown: 青 (qīng) — young, green; 少 (shào) — young, few; 年 (nián) — year

Meaning

Teenager; adolescent; young person. Refers to people roughly between 12 and 18 years old.

A compound of 青年 (young adult) and 少年 (juvenile), covering the adolescent age range between childhood and adulthood. Very common in education, health, and policy contexts. Used in phrases like 青少年教育 (youth education) and 青少年保护 (youth protection).

Examples

1. 这本书很适合青少年阅读。 This book is very suitable for teenagers to read.
2. 青少年应该多运动。 Teenagers should exercise more.
3. 学校为青少年举办了活动。 The school organised activities for teenagers.

Usage Guide

Context: education, health, policy, media

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 青少年要注意健康。(Teenagers should pay attention to their health.)
• 这个活动是为青少年准备的。(This activity is prepared for teenagers.)

Don't Say

• 日常口语中用年轻人更自然 (In casual speech, 年轻人 or 小孩子 is more natural — 青少年 sounds official; use it in formal or written contexts)

Origin & History

青 (qīng, green/young) + 少年 (shàonián, juvenile). Combines 'youth' with 'juvenile' to cover the teenage and adolescent period of life.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal