youth
adolescent
juvenile
teenager【导航词义:青少年】
youth n. 少年,年轻人
〔辨析〕现在几乎专指年轻的男性,尤用于报纸上,常含贬义。但作为集合名词时,男女青年皆可指,且无贬义。
〔例证〕
The street fight was started by a gang of youths.
这场街头打斗是由一伙少年挑起来的。
There are groups of youths playing basketball over there.
成群的小伙子正在那里打篮球。
The youth of the country are being ignored by their leaders.
该国的青年没有受到领导人的重视。
The government calls on the youth to donate their blood voluntarily.
政府号召青年义务献血。
adolescent n. 青少年
〔辨析〕与 teenager 基本同义,但更加正式,强调尚不成熟。
〔例证〕
An adolescent is often caught up in fantastic thoughts.
青少年常常耽于奇思异想。
His mental capacity never really got beyond that of an adolescent.
他的智力从未真正超过一个未成年人。
juvenile n. 〈正式〉青少年
〔辨析〕常为法律术语,强调未成年的人。
〔例证〕
The number of juveniles arrested for violent crimes is increasing.
因暴力犯罪而被捕的少年犯人数在上升。
The number of juveniles in the general population has fallen.
总人口中青少年所占比例下降。
teenager n. 青少年
〔辨析〕主要指 13 至 19 岁之间的青少年,强调该年龄段群体的自身特点。
〔例证〕
Teenagers are vigorous.
青少年精力旺盛。
Their band is made up of three cool teenagers.
他们的乐队由3个帅气的少年组成。
I don't get pimples now, but I did when I was a teenager.
我现在不会长青春痘,但我在青春期时却没少长。