poikasen

Poikasen is the genitive singular form of the Finnish noun poikanen. Poikanen refers to a juvenile or young animal, and is commonly used for the early life stage of fish, though it can apply to other animals as well. In biological and fisheries contexts, poikanen denotes a larval or juvenile stage before reaching maturity.

Etymology and meaning: Poikanen is formed from poika, meaning boy or son, with the diminutive suffix -nen. The term originally conveyed “a small young one” and has come to refer specifically to the juvenile of an animal in general usage, with particular frequency in aquatic biology.

Usage: Poikasen is most often encountered as the genitive singular, used to attribute something to the juvenile, for example poikasen kasvu (the growth of the juvenile) or poikasen ruokavalio (the diet of the juvenile). The form is also used in phrases describing a single juvenile within a species, such as lohen poikanen or muiden kalojen poikanen in general contexts. In contrast, the plural nominative is poikaset (juveniles) and the genitive plural is poikasten.

Grammatical notes: Finnish nouns decline for number and case; poikanen follows the standard pattern, with genitive singular poikasen and genitive plural poikasten. The word poikasen therefore conveys a relationship to a single juvenile when paired with another noun or a verb, rather than standing as a standalone subject.

See also: poikanen, poikaset, poikasten. For related terms, see terms used in ichthyology and zoology to describe juvenile life stages.