Wakai Tsubame (若いツバメ - Toy Boy)

We sometimes refers to a young man who is a lover with older woman as 若いツバメ (wakai tsubame).

若い (wakai) means "young" and ツバメ means "swallow," so the literal meaning of "wakai tsubame" is "young swallow."

This term comes from a romantic relationship between Raicho Hiratsuka, a pioneering Japanese feminist, and Hiroshi Okumura, a young artist.

Okumura called Hiratsuka "wakai tsubame" or 弟 (otouto - younger brother).

However, this relationship was not good for Hiratsuka's activity that insists women's liberation.

For this reason, Hiratsuka decided to break up with Okumura, and sent a message something like "a young swallow flies away for the peace of a pond."

This words became famous, and "wakai tsubame" came to have the current meaning.

若いツバメ

年上の女性の愛人である若い男性のことを、「若いツバメ」と言うことがあります。

「若い」は "young," 「ツバメ」は "swallow" を意味するので、「若いツバメ」の文字通りの意味は "young swallow" です。

この言葉は、明治時代の婦人運動家である平塚雷鳥と、年下の若い画家である奥村博史の恋愛に由来します。

平塚は奥村のことを、「若いツバメ」や「弟」と呼んでいました。

しかし二人の関係は、女性解放を謳う平塚の活動において、あまり好ましいものではありませんでした。

そして平塚は奥村と別れることを決意し、「若いツバメは池の平和のために飛び去っていく」と綴りました。

この言葉が有名になり、「若いツバメ」は現在の意味を持つようになったというわけです。

• We sometimes refers to a young man who is a lover with older woman as 若いツバメ (wakai tsubame).
• We sometimes refers to a young man whose lover is an older woman as 若いツバメ (wakai tsubame).

• This term comes from a romantic relationship between Raicho Hiratsuka, a pioneering Japanese feminist, and Hiroshi Okumura, a young artist.
• This term comes from a romantic relationship between Raicho Hiratsuka, a pioneering Japanese feminist, and Hiroshi Okumura, a young artist.

  The better choice may be "originates from"

• However, this relationship was not good for Hiratsuka's activity that insists women's liberation.
• However, their relationship did not go well with Hiratsuka's involvement with the women's liberation movement.

  The best option would be to use "conflicted with" instead of "did not go well with", but I feel that "did not go well with" may be a closer translation. "Not good for" is understandable as well but is not as natural.

• For this reason, Hiratsuka decided to break up with Okumura, and sent a message something like "a young swallow flies away for the peace of a pond."
• For this reason, Hiratsuka decided to break up with Okumura, and sent her a message reading, "a young swallow flies away for the peace of a pond."

• This words became famous, and "wakai tsubame" came to have the current meaning.
• These words became famous, and "wakai tsubame" came to have it's current meaning.

• 若い (wakai) means "young" and ツバメ means "swallow," so the literal meaning of "wakai tsubame" is "young swallow."
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• Okumura called Hiratsuka "wakai tsubame" or 弟 (otouto - younger brother).
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• For this reason, Hiratsuka decided to break up with Okumura, and sent a message something like "a young swallow flies away for the peace of a pond."
• For this reason, Hiratsuka decided to break up with Okumura, and sent him a message saying something like "A young swallow flies away for the peace of a pond."

• Wakai Tsubame (若いツバメ - Toy Boy)
• Wakai Tsubame (若いツバメ - Boy Toy)