Japanese word

中年

Pronunciation

Romajichūnen

Meaning

  • nounmiddle age

Example

父は中年になりました。chichi wa chū nen ni na ri ma shi ta

My father reached middle age.

Illustration for 中年 (middle age)

More examples

中年以降の健康管理はとても大切です。chū nen i kō no ken kō kan ri wa to te mo tai setsu de su

Taking care of your health after reaching middle age is very important.

Core concept

Refers to the middle span of adult life, when a person is no longer young but has not reached old age.

Common phrases

  • 中年になるchū nen ni na ru

    become middle-aged

  • 中年の男性chū nen no dan sei

    middle-aged man

  • 中年の女性chū nen no jo sei

    middle-aged woman

Similar words

中高年chūkōnen: A broad age group that includes middle-aged and older adults.
壮年sōnen: The period of mature adulthood when a person is physically and socially active.

Definition in Japanese

若年期を過ぎて老年期に入る前の時期。jaku nen ki o su gi te rō nen ki ni hai ru mae no ji ki

Word origin

中年 (chūnen) is a Sino-Japanese compound of 中 (chū, "middle") and 年 (nen, "year; age"), meaning the middle period of life.

Usage tips

  • The term 中年 (chūnen) often appears in conversations about life stages, health, work, and family responsibilities.

Opposites

Word lists with this word