子供時代
kodomo jidai
The English phrase childhood is translated into Japanese as 子供時代 (kodomo jidai). Wiktionary also lists 幼年時代 (yōnen jidai).
Meaning: time when one is a child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 子供時代 | kodomo jidai |
| 幼年時代 | yōnen jidai |
The term refers to the time when one is a child. In informal spoken Japanese, you may also hear people use the phrases kodomo no koro or osanai toki to refer to childhood.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 子供時代 is composed of 子供 (kodomo), meaning 'child' and 時代 (jidai), meaning 'era' or 'period of time'.
Which one should you use?
子供時代 is the general term for childhood. In contrast, 幼年時代 specifically refers to early childhood or infancy.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
幼年時代 is more formal and literary, often appearing in written texts or psychological contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
kodomo jidai
Did you know?
- The word 子供 (kodomo) can be written using different combinations of kanji to change its nuance. One common way uses a character that originally meant 'attendant' or 'servant', which is why many modern texts use hiragana for the second part to make it feel more neutral.
- The word 子供 can be used to refer to one's own children regardless of their age, meaning a 40-year-old can still be called a 子供 by their parents.
- The term 時代 (jidai) used in 子供時代 is the same word used to describe major historical epochs like the 'Edo period'. Using it for one's own life implies that childhood was a distinct, transformative chapter of history.
Examples in context
- 子供時代の最も良い思い出は？What's your favorite memory from your childhood?This sentence uses 子供時代 to ask about a favorite memory.Tatoeba #10917159 by SomeHungryBois, translation #9806303 by CK
- 彼女は幸せな幼年時代を過ごした。She had a happy childhood.This sentence uses 幼年時代 to describe a happy period of early childhood.Tatoeba #90137 by small_snow, translation #313577 by CK
- その写真を見ると私は子供時代を思い出す。This photo takes me back to my childhood.This sentence uses 子供時代 to describe how a photo evokes memories.Tatoeba #209605 by bunbuku, translation #46867 by sundown
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Yota are talking about their hometowns.
- 結衣 Yui陽太さんは子供時代、どこに住んでいましたか？Yōta-san wa kodomo jidai, doko ni sunde imashita ka?Where did you live during your childhood, Yota?
- 陽太 Yota僕は子供時代、北海道に住んでいました。Boku wa kodomo jidai, Hokkaidō ni sunde imashita.I lived in Hokkaido during my childhood.
- 結衣 Yuiすごい！冬はとても寒かったでしょうね。Sugoi! Fuyu wa totemo samukatta deshō ne.Amazing! It must have been very cold in winter.
- 陽太 Yotaはい、でも雪遊びが大好きでした。Hai, demo yuki asobi ga daisuki deshita.Yes, but I loved playing in the snow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “childhood” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
