Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on April 2014

赤ちゃん (akachan) = baby, infant (literally, “red-chan”)

育休 (ikukyuu) = maternity leave, childcare leave

育児 (ikuji) = childcare, nursing, upbringing

育つ (sodatsu) = to be raised, brought up, grow up

親子 (oyako) = parent and child

親子丼 (oyakodon) = chicken and egg on rice (literally, “parent and child on rice”)

幼稚園 (yochien) = kindergarten, preschool

保母 (hobo) = day-care worker in a kindergarten or nursery school

園児 (enji) = kindergartener