新進気鋭 — Shinshinkiei

I have decided to make Thursday the day for Yojijukugo (四字熟語), or 4-character compound expressions.

Today’s expression is 新進気鋭 (Shinshinkiei) which means “Young and energetic” or “up-and-coming“.

Its meaning in the dictionary is: 「ある分野に新しく登場し、意気込みが盛んで将来性があること。また、そういう人。」This translates into “Something that appears for the first time in a sector/industry and has a lot of potential due to its enthusiasm. Or a person with such qualities”.

In reality, it is much more used to describe people with such qualities than just the adjective on its own.

Here is one potential example of use for such an expression:

彼が新進気鋭の俳優として、ハリウッド映画にどんどん現れてきています。

(Kare ga shinshinkiei no haiyuu toshite, hariwuddo eiga ni dondon arawarete kite imasu.)

=> As an up-and-coming actor, he is appearing more and more in Hollywood movies.

This Yojijukugo is in the Kanji Kentei Level 4 (4級) and has 2 synonyms: 少壮気鋭 (Shousoukiei) and 少壮有為 (Shousouyuui).

少壮気鋭 appears to have the exact same meaning than 新進気鋭, both insisting more on the energy, the agility, of the mentioned person. While it can be useful, it doesn’t automatically mean that this will stay the case.

少壮有為, however, has a nuance of insisting more on the fact that it will be useful for the future. Indeed 有為 means “capable, promising”. It can be found in 有為の材 (yuui no zai) which means “man of talent”.

あなたは、新進気鋭の人でしょうか。そうでしたら、どの業界で新進気鋭の人でしょうか。

(Are you an up-and-coming person? If yes, in what industry are you an up-and-coming person?)

Originally published at yuhakko.wordpress.com on November 14, 2018.