It generally refers to a male who has moved past early childhood but has not yet established a household or assumed the full responsibilities of a senior adult male. It occupies the semantic space between yeled (child) and ish (man).
Jewish tradition and rabbinic interpretation have also explored the nuances of "na'ar." For example, in discussing David's early life, some rabbis note that, despite being a young man (na'ar), he exhibited mature wisdom. na'ar hebrew meaning