young
young — adjective
1. relates to a living being — a person, animal, or plant — that has recently come
relates to a living being — a person, animal, or plant — that has recently come into the world and has not yet reached full growth.
Aylin's younger sister is only four and goes to preschool.
younger + noun (comparative form)
The young oak tree in the park was planted by the class last spring.
young + noun (of plants)
Kemi adopted a young puppy from the animal shelter downtown.
Young children often need more sleep than teenagers or adults.
When Leo was young, his family lived in a small village near the coast.
文法句型
young + noun
be + young
younger + noun (comparative)
用法筆記
Use for people, animals, and plants. For objects, ideas, or events, use 'new' instead of 'young' (e.g., a new car, not a young car).
常見錯誤
2. placed after a person's full name when two relatives, most often a father and hi
placed after a person's full name when two relatives, most often a father and his son, share the same name — marks which one is the later-born of the pair.
Martin Luther King Jr. is called 'the younger' to tell him apart from his father.
pattern: [Name] the Younger
Pieter Bruegel the Younger produced many paintings in the style of his father.
William Pitt the Younger became Britain's prime minister at the age of twenty-four.
Pliny the Younger left behind hundreds of letters that describe life in ancient Rome.
- junior
abbreviated as 'Jr.' in modern naming conventions; more common today than 'the Younger'
- the Elder
used for the older of the two relatives sharing a name
文法句型
[Name] the Younger
用法筆記
This sense almost always appears in the fixed phrase 'the Younger' (capitalised) directly after the person's full name. The abbreviation 'Jr.' is more common in modern American English.
3. created, designed, or intended to be enjoyed by children or teenagers — not mean
created, designed, or intended to be enjoyed by children or teenagers — not meant for older people.
The public library has a special section for young adult novels.
young adult + noun (common fixed phrase)
Amani's fashion brand launched a young clothing line for teenage shoppers.
young + noun (clothing line, audience, market — for suitability sense)
That jacket is too young for a woman in her fifties.
Shanti's nephew loves the young people's art workshop on Saturdays.
- youthful
can overlap in meaning but usually describes appearance or spirit, not suitability of a product or event
- teen-oriented
narrower — refers specifically to teenagers rather than young people in general
文法句型
young + noun (suitability sense)
用法筆記
Often carries a judgement about appropriateness — saying something is 'too young' for someone implies it does not suit their age. Common in fashion, media, and entertainment contexts.
常見錯誤
4. appearing to have a lower age than one actually has — describing someone who loo
appearing to have a lower age than one actually has — describing someone who looks, feels, or acts as if they are younger than their real age.
Lucas looks remarkably young for his age — people often mistake him for a student.
young for + possessive + age
Apinya's grandmother is seventy-five but has a young face and walks briskly.
young + noun (face, spirit, look, etc.)
Regular exercise and a balanced diet can help you stay young.
The new haircut made Ayana look at least five years younger.
- youthful
very close in meaning; 'youthful' is more about qualities and spirit, while 'young' in this sense is more about physical appearance
- old-looking
appearing older than one's actual age
- aged
showing signs of advanced age
文法句型
look/feel/stay/appear + young
young for + age
younger + than
用法筆記
Most common in the comparative form 'younger' (look younger, feel younger, act younger). The plain form 'young' alone does not carry this meaning — it must be used with a linking verb like 'look', 'feel', or 'stay'.
常見錯誤
young — noun
1. the general category of people who are not yet old — viewed collectively as a so
the general category of people who are not yet old — viewed collectively as a social group rather than as separate individuals.
The young in this village started their own community garden.
the young + plural verb
This music festival is especially popular among the young.
among the young
Nicholas works as a mentor for the young in his hometown.
The local theater group puts on plays written by and for the young.
- youth
more formal; can also refer to the period of being young
- youngsters
more informal and affectionate
- teenagers
narrower — refers specifically to ages 13–19
- the elderly
older people as a group
- the old
direct opposite as a collective noun group
文法句型
the young (as a plural noun group)
用法筆記
Always used with 'the' and takes a plural verb. Refers to young people as a general category, not one specific person. To refer to an individual, use 'a young person' or 'a young man/woman'.
常見錯誤
2. the babies or newborn offspring of an animal — the young that an animal has rece
the babies or newborn offspring of an animal — the young that an animal has recently given birth to.
The mother cat carried her young to a safer place one by one.
possessive + young (her young)
Birds feed their young until the babies can fly on their own.
their young (plural possessive)
Sivan watched a duck swim across the pond with her young.
The fox brought food back to her young who were waiting in the den.
- offspring
broader and more scientific; can also be used for humans
- babies
more informal; can apply to both humans and animals
- cubs / pups / calves
species-specific terms for the young of particular animals
文法句型
possessive pronoun + young
the + young (of an animal)
用法筆記
Used especially for animals. For human babies, use 'baby' or 'newborn' instead — 'young' for human babies sounds very old-fashioned or literary.