青二才

Japanese

Etymology

From the 出世魚 (shusse uo, fish that change names as they grow older), specifically the 青魚 (aouo) form of the 鱸 (suzuki, Japanese sea bass). At two years of age it is still midway through its growth, hence transferred from the meaning of 青 (“young, immature”) combined with 二才 (“two years old”, connoting immaturity).

Alternatively, “二才” is a development from classical Japanese niise (“young man”; from nii “new/young” + se “male”), with “青” added to convey immaturity. Compare Satsugū dialect terms such as よかにせ (yokanise) and にせがしら (nisegashira).

Noun

青二才 • (aonisai) 

1. The state of being young and immature; callowness, greenness (inexperience); a callow youth, greenhorn, or whippersnapper.
   • 日本もはや明治となって四十何年、維新の立者多くは墓になり、当年の書生青二才も、福々しい元老もしくは分別臭い中老になった。 (徳富蘆花, Muhanron (Sōkō))

     Nihon mohaya Meiji to natte yonjū nannen, ishin no tatemono ōku wa haka ni nari, tōnen no shosei aonisai mo, fukufukushii genrō moshiku wa funbetsu kusai chūrō ni natta.

     Japan has already been in the Meiji era for forty-some years. Many of the founders of the Restoration have gone to their graves, and the greenhorn students of those days have become plump elder statesmen or middle-aged men reeking of discretion.