Additional information about 稚
說文解字:
- Criteria
- YOUNG
1. The current general "absolute" word for tender youth is yòu 幼 (ant. zhǎng 長 "grown up"), and this word refers to young age of animals, as well as humans.
2. Zhì 稚 (ant. zhǎng 長 "grown up") refers "absolutely" to young age in humans, but the word came to refer to young age in animals as well at later stages from Song times onwards.
3. Shào 少 (ant. zhǎng 長 "grown up") is a comparative term and refers specifically to relatively young age in humans; note that a person remains shào 少 "junior" (ant. zhǎng 長 "senior") in respect to elders until he is very old indeed.