Japanese Conversation · Level 89
60 words
Japanese word
成年
Pronunciation
Romajiseinen
Meaning
- nounadulthood
Example
日本では十八歳で成年になります。nihon de wa jū hachi sai de sei nen ni na ri ma su
In Japan, people become adults at eighteen.
More examples
成年を迎えると、自分で契約を結べるようになります。sei nen o muka e ru to ji bun de kei yaku o musu be ru yō ni na ri ma su
When you reach adulthood, you can enter into contracts on your own.
Core concept
Marks the stage when a person is regarded as an adult, either in everyday life or under the law.
Common phrases
成年になるsei nen ni na ru
become an adult
成年に達するsei nen ni tas su ru
reach adulthood
Similar words
成人seijin: The condition of having reached adulthood, with emphasis on personal or social maturity.
Definition in Japanese
人が大人として扱われる年齢や状態。特に法律上、成人と認められること。hito ga otona to shi te atsuka wa re ru nen rei ya jō tai toku ni hō ritsu jō sei jin to mito me ra re ru ko to
Word origin
As a Sino-Japanese compound, 成年 (seinen) combines 成 (sei, "become") and 年 (nen, "year or age"), expressing the age or state of becoming an adult.
Usage tips
- In Japan, 成年 (seinen) refers to legal adulthood from age 18, after the legal age changed from 20 on April 1, 2022.