Meaning
青年 refers to young people, typically those in their late teens to early thirties. It's a formal term often used in official contexts, news, and social discourse to describe the younger generation who are coming of age and entering society as adults.
Usage
This is more formal than colloquial terms like 年轻人. It's commonly used in political speeches, news reports, and organizational names (like 共青团 Communist Youth League). In everyday conversation, people might use 年轻人 instead, though 青年 appears frequently in written Chinese and formal speech.
Examples
- 01我们要培养青年一代的创新精神。.We must cultivate the spirit of innovation in the younger generation.
- 02这个组织为青年提供了很多就业机会。.This organization provides many employment opportunities for young people.
Characters
Measure words
- 个一个青年
- 名三名青年
Common collocations
- 青年人young people
- 当代青年contemporary youth
- 青年一代the younger generation
- 青年时期youth period, teenage years
Antonyms
Origin
青 originally meant the color green or blue, associated with spring and new growth, thus symbolizing youth and vitality. Combined with 年 (year/age), it literally means 'green years' or the period of youthful vigor.