# 少年
## Chinese
### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Standard)
       (Pinyin): shàonián
       (Zhuyin): ㄕㄠˋ ㄋㄧㄢˊ
    (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): шонян (šoni͡an, III-I)
* Cantonese (Jyutping): siu$^3$ nin$^4$
* Hakka (Sixian, PFS): seu-ngièn / seu-ngiàn
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): siàu-liân
    (Teochew, Peng'im): siao$^3$ ni$^5$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: shàonián
*** Zhuyin: ㄕㄠˋ ㄋㄧㄢˊ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: shàonián
*** Wade–Giles: shao$^4$-nien$^2$
*** Yale: shàu-nyán
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shawnian
*** Palladius: шаонянь (šaonjanʹ)
*** Sinological IPA : /ʂɑʊ̯⁵¹ ni̯ɛn³⁵/
** (Dungan)
*** Cyrillic and Wiktionary: шонян (šoni͡an, III-I)
*** Sinological IPA : /ʂɔ⁴⁴ niæ̃²⁴/
    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: siu$^3$ nin$^4$
*** Yale: siu nìhn
*** Cantonese Pinyin: siu$^3$ nin$^4$
*** Guangdong Romanization: xiu$^3$ nin$^4$
*** Sinological IPA : /siːu̯³³ niːn²¹/
* Hakka
** (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: seu-ngièn
*** Hakka Romanization System: seu ngien$^ˇ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: seu$^4$ ngian$^2$
*** Sinological IPA: /seu̯⁵⁵ ŋi̯en¹¹/
** (Southern Sixian, incl. Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: seu-ngiàn
*** Hakka Romanization System: seu ngian$^ˇ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: seu$^4$ ngian$^2$
*** Sinological IPA: /seu̯⁵⁵ ŋi̯an¹¹/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese, Philippines)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: siàu-liân
*** Tâi-lô: siàu-liân
*** Phofsit Daibuun: siaolieen
*** IPA (Kaohsiung): /siau²¹⁻⁴¹ liɛn²³/
*** IPA (Taipei): /siau¹¹⁻⁵³ liɛn²⁴/
*** IPA (Quanzhou, Philippines): /siau⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ liɛn²⁴/
*** IPA (Xiamen): /siau²¹⁻⁵³ liɛn²⁴/
*** IPA (Zhangzhou): /siau²¹⁻⁵³ liɛn¹³/
** (Teochew)
*** Peng'im: siao$^3$ ni$^5$
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: siàu nî
*** Sinological IPA : /siau²¹³⁻⁵⁵ ni⁵⁵/
* Middle Chinese: syewH nen
Rime :
| Character | 少 | 年 |
| Reading # | 2/2 | 1/1 |
| Initial (聲) | 書 (26) | 泥 (8) |
| Final (韻) | 宵 (91) | 先 (85) |
| Tone (調) | Departing (H) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Open | Open |
| Division (等) | III | IV |
| Fanqie | 失照切 | 奴顚切 |
| Baxter | syewH | nen |
| Reconstructions |||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /ɕiᴇu$^H$/ | /nen/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ɕiɛu$^H$/ | /nen/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /ɕjæu$^H$/ | /nɛn/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /ɕiaw$^H$/ | /nɛn/ |
| Li Rong | /ɕiɛu$^H$/ | /nen/ |
| Wang Li | /ɕĭɛu$^H$/ | /nien/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ɕi̯ɛu$^H$/ | /nien/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | shào | nián |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | siu$^3$ | nin$^4$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*[s-t]ewʔ-s C.nˤi[ŋ]/
    (Zhengzhang): /*hmjews niːŋ/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 少 | 年 |
| Reading # | 2/2 | 1/1 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | shào | nián |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ syew$^H$ › | ‹ nen › |
| Old Chinese | /*[s-t]ewʔ-s/ | /*C.nˁi[ŋ]/ |
| English | young | harvest; year |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. |||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 少 | 年 |
| Reading # | 2/2 | 1/1 |
| No. | 13708 | 9482 |
| Phonetic component | 小 | 秊 |
| Rime group | 宵 | 眞 |
| Rime subdivision | 2 | 2 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 少 | |
| Old Chinese | /*hmjews/ | /*niːŋ/ |
| Notes | | 同秊 |

### Noun

少年
* early youth (from ten to sixteen years old)
    少年時代／少年时代 ― shàonián shídài ― early youth
* juvenile; youngster
* (literary) young man; boy

#### Synonyms

* (slang) 騷年／骚年 (sāonián)

#### Derived terms

* 不經事少年 / 不经事少年
* 不良少年 (bùliáng shàonián)
* 千金難買少年窮 / 千金难买少年穷 (qiānjīn nán mǎi shàonián qióng)
* 問題少年 / 问题少年
* 少年人
* 少年先鋒隊 / 少年先锋队 (shàonián xiānfēngduì)
* 少年宮 / 少年宫 (shàoniángōng)
* 少年愛 / 少年爱 (shàonián'ài)
* 少年才俊
* 少年法庭
* 少年犯 (shàoniánfàn)
* 少年犯罪 (shàonián fànzuì)
* 少年福利法
* 少年組 / 少年组
* 少年維特的煩惱 / 少年维特的烦恼
* 少年老成
* 少年若無一擺戇，路邊哪有有應公 / 少年若无一摆戆，路边哪有有应公
* 少年袂曉想，食老毋成樣 / 少年袂晓想，食老毋成样
* 少年觀護所 / 少年观护所
* 少年輔育院 / 少年辅育院
* 少年郎
* 心寬出少年 / 心宽出少年
* 慘綠少年 / 惨绿少年
* 老人毋講古，少年毋捌寶 / 老人毋讲古，少年毋捌宝
* 老少年
* 英雄出少年 (yīngxióng chū shàonián)
* 虞犯少年
* 裙屐少年
* 過了青春無少年 / 过了青春无少年
* 青少年 (qīngshàonián)
* 青少年問題 / 青少年问题
* 青少年犯罪 (qīngshàonián fànzuì)

### Adjective

少年
* (literary or Hokkien, Zhao'an Hakka) young

#### Synonyms

* 年紀不大 / 年纪不大 (niánjì bù dà)
* 年輕 / 年轻 (niánqīng)
* 年青 (niánqīng)
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 少 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 年輕 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 年輕 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 年輕 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 年輕 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 年輕 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 年輕 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Luoyang | 年輕 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 年輕 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 年輕 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 年輕 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liuzhou | 後生 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 年輕 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 年輕 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 後生, 年紀嫩, 年青 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 後生, 年青, 年輕 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (San Tin; Weitou) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Ting Kok) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Macau | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Panyu) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Conghua) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Zengcheng) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Foshan | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shunde) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Sanshui) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) | 年嫩 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Shiqi) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Doumen) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Baisha) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Xinhui) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Kaiping (Chikan) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Enping (Niujiang) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Heshan (Yayao) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Danzhou | 嫩 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 後生 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 後生 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 年輕, 後生 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 年輕, 後生 |
| Gan | Pingxiang | 後生 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 後生 |
| Hakka | Xingning | 後生 |
| Hakka | Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Huidong (Daling) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Dongguan (Qingxi) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Shaoguan (Qujiang) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Changting | 後生 |
| Hakka | Wuping | 後生 |
| Hakka | Wuping (Pingyu) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Liancheng | 後生 |
| Hakka | Ninghua | 後生 |
| Hakka | Ruijin | 後生 |
| Hakka | Shicheng | 後生 |
| Hakka | Shangyou (Shexi) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 少年 |
| Hakka | Hong Kong | 後生 |
| Hakka | Senai (Huiyang) | 後生 |
| Hakka | Singkawang | 後生 |
| Huizhou | Jixi | 後生 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 年輕 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 後生 |
| Northern Min | Jianyang | 後生 |
| Northern Min | Pucheng (Shibei) | 後生 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 後生 |
| Eastern Min | Fuqing | 後生 |
| Eastern Min | Matsu | 後生, 年輕 |
| Eastern Min | Singapore (Fuqing) | 年輕 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 少年 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen (Tong'an) | 少年 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 少年 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 少年 |
| Southern Min | Zhao'an | 後生 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 少年, 細漢 |
| Southern Min | New Taipei (Sanxia) | 細漢 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung | 少年, 細漢 |
| Southern Min | Yilan | 少年, 細漢 |
| Southern Min | Changhua (Lukang) | 少年, 細漢 |
| Southern Min | Taichung | 少年, 細漢 |
| Southern Min | Taichung (Wuqi) | 少年 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 少年, 細漢 |
| Southern Min | Taitung | 少年 |
| Southern Min | Hsinchu | 少年, 細漢 |
| Southern Min | Kinmen | 少年, 細漢 |
| Southern Min | Penghu (Magong) | 少年, 細漢 |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 少年 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 少年, 後生 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 少年, 少歲, 後生 |
| Southern Min | Zhangping (Yongfu) | 少年, 後生仔 |
| Southern Min | Datian | 後生 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 後生 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 後生 |
| Southern Min | Shantou (Chenghai) | 後生 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 後生 |
| Southern Min | Bangkok (Teochew) | 後生 |
| Southern Min | Johor Bahru (Teochew) | 後生 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 後生 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 後生 |
| Southern Min | Wenchang | 幼, 年青 |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 幼 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hainanese) | 幼 |
| Puxian Min | Putian | 後生 |
| Puxian Min | Putian (Donghai, Chengxiang) | 後生 |
| Puxian Min | Putian (Jiangkou, Hanjiang) | 後生 |
| Puxian Min | Putian (Nanri, Xiuyu) | 後生 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou | 後生 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou (Fengting) | 後生 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou (Youyang) | 後生 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) | 後生 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 年輕, 後生 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 年紀輕 |
| Wu | Hangzhou | 後生 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 後生, 年紀輕 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 後生 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 冒年紀, 年輕 |
| Xiang | Shuangfeng | 冒年紀 |

### Descendants

* → Japanese: 少(しょう)年(ねん) (shōnen)
* → Korean: 소년(少年) (sonyeon)
* → Vietnamese: thiếu niên (少年)

### Further reading

* “Entry #906”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.

## Japanese

Kanji in this term :
| 少 | 年 |
| しょう Grade: 2 | ねん Grade: 1 |
| on'yomi ||

### Etymology

/seunen/ → /ɕeunen/ → /ɕoːnen/
Borrowing from Middle Chinese 少年 (syew$^H$ nen, literally “young + years”). Compare modern Cantonese 少年 (siu$^3$ nin$^4$), Mandarin 少年 (shàonián), Korean 소년 (sonyeon), Vietnamese thiếu niên.
Originally referred to young people of either gender. The meaning has narrowed in modern usage to more commonly refer to boys of elementary school or middle school age.

### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) しょーねん [shòónéń] (Heiban – [0])
* IPA: [ɕo̞ːnẽ̞ɴ]

### Noun

少(しょう)年(ねん) • (shōnen)
* a boy, a young man
    少(しょう)年(ねん)時(じ)代(だい)
       shōnen jidai
       childhood, boyhood
    少(しょう)年(ねん)はこの漫(まん)画(が)が大(だい)好(す)きで、もう売(う)り切(き)れになっています。
       Shōnen wa kono manga ga daisuki de, mō urikire ni natte imasu.
       Boys really like this manga, and it's already sold out.
** 2011 February 9, Hideaki Sorachi, “第(だい)三(さん)百(びゃく)三(さん)十(じゅう)四(よん)訓(くん)　銭(せん)湯(とう)では身(み)も心(こころ)も丸(まる)裸(はだか) [Lesson 334: Our Bodies and Souls Are All Naked in the Public Baths]”, in 銀(ぎん)魂(たま) [Silver Soul], volume 38 (fiction), Tokyo: Shueisha, →ISBN:
    バーさん　俺(おれ)は心(こころ)は少(しょう)年(ねん)だから二(ふた)人(り)で200(にひゃく)円(えん)で頼(たの)むわ
       Bā-san ore wa kokoro wa shōnen da kara futari de nihyaku-en de tanomu wa
       Granny, I’m still a boy at heart, so make it 200 yen for two.
** 2017 April 15, “星(せい)杯(はい)に選(えら)ばれし者(もの) [Chosen by the Star Chalice]”, in CODE(コード) OF(オブ) THE(ザ) DUELIST(デュエリスト), Konami:
    機(き)怪(かい)の残(ざん)骸(がい)で武(ぶ)装(そう)する、真(ま)っ直(す)ぐな心(こころ)の少(しょう)年(ねん)。
       Kikai no zangai de busō suru, massugu na kokoro no shōnen.
       An upright boy armed with the remains of Mechstrosities.

#### Derived terms

* 少(しょう)年(ねん)愛(あい) (shōnen'ai, “pederasty, love of boys”)
* 少(しょう)年(ねん)院(いん) (shōnen'in, “reform school, juvenile reformatory, juvie”)
* 少(しょう)年(ねん)会(かい) (shōnenkai, “youth conference”)
* 少(しょう)年(ねん)感(かん)化(か)院(いん) (shōnen kankain, “reform school, juvenile reformatory, juvie”)
* 少(しょう)年(ねん)鑑(かん)別(べつ)所(しょ) (shōnen kanbetsusho, “juvenile hall, Juvenile Classification Office”)
* 少(しょう)年(ねん)少(しょう)女(じょ) (shōnen shōjo, “boys and girls”)
* 少(しょう)年(ねん)裁(さい)判(ばん)所(しょ) (shōnen saibansho, “juvenile court”)
* 少(しょう)年(ねん)団(だん) (shōnendan, “youth association, youth group”)
* 少(しょう)年(ねん)犯(はん)罪(ざい) (shōnen hanzai, “juvenile crime (by a male)”)
* 少(しょう)年(ねん)犯(はん)罪(ざい)者(しゃ) (shōnen hanzaisha, “juvenile delinquent, juvenile offender (male)”)

#### See also

* 少(しょう)女(じょ) (shōjo): young girl
* 女(じょ)性(せい) (josei): woman
* 青(せい)年(ねん) (seinen): young man
* 子(こ)供(ども) (kodomo): child

### References

* ↑ Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
* ↑ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

## Korean

Hanja in this term :
| 少 | 年 |

### Noun

少年 • (sonyeon) (hangeul 소년)
* hanja form of 소년 (“boy, young person”)

## Vietnamese

chữ Hán Nôm in this term :
| 少 | 年 |

### Noun

少年
* chữ Hán form of thiếu niên (“related to adolescence”).