若々しい
わかわかしい · wakawakashii · JLPT N2 · i-adj
young
🌱 若 (young) + 々 (repeat mark) = young-young: 若々しい = youthful, fresh-looking
The 々 mark repeats the kanji before it, so 若々 means 'young, young,' and しい is the adjective ending. A sprout is fresh and young, matching the 若 root.
若 — grass radical 艹 + right hand 右
Originally a pictograph of a person tidying their hair with both hands, suggesting compliance or 'to follow.' Over time it was borrowed phonetically to mean 'if' or 'like/as,' which became its dominant modern meanings. The grass radical on top reflects later script standardization rather than the original image.