jau3 nin4幼年
Jyutpingjau3 nin4
Yaleyau nìhn
Definition
Early childhood, usually referring to the period between birth and six years of age.
neutralpeopletime
How it's used
Refers specifically to the developmental stage of early childhood rather than just being young in general. It carries a slightly formal or clinical tone compared to everyday expressions like 細個. You will often see it used in contexts discussing upbringing, developmental psychology, or personal history.
Examples
He loved playing with sand when he was a young child.
Do you remember what happened during your early childhood?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using it to describe someone who is simply a teenager or a young adult, as it strictly refers to the period from birth to around six years old. Use 細個 for general references to one's youth.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
