Translation and Meaning of: 人 - jin

The Japanese word 人[じん] is one of the most fundamental and versatile terms in the language. Its basic meaning refers to "person" or "human being," but its usage goes much further, appearing in everyday expressions, country names, and even philosophical concepts. In this article, we will explore its origin and how it fits into Japanese culture, along with practical tips for those learning the language.

If you have already studied Japanese, you have probably encountered 人[じん] in different contexts. It can be combined with other kanji to form words like 日本人 (nihonjin - Japanese) or 外国人 (gaikokujin - foreigner). Here at Suki Nihongo, our goal is to uncover not only the meaning but also the cultural and grammatical details that make this word a key piece in the Japanese vocabulary.

Meaning and usage of 人[じん]

The kanji 人, read as じん (jin) in certain combinations, represents the idea of person, individual, or humanity. Unlike the reading ひと (hito), which is more generic, じん usually appears in compound words, especially to indicate nationality or groups of people. For example, アメリカ人 (amerikajin) means "American," while 社会人 (shakaijin) refers to a "member of society" or "professional."

An interesting characteristic is that じん is not limited to humans. In terms like 宇宙人 (uchūjin - alien), it expands its meaning to include any intelligent being. This usage reflects how the Japanese language can be flexible, adapting a basic concept to various contexts, from everyday life to science fiction.

Origin and writing of the kanji 人

The kanji 人 has a history that dates back to ancient China, where its original form represented a human being in profile. Over time, this pictographic representation evolved into the simplified strokes we use today. In Japan, it was incorporated into the writing system and gained multiple readings, including じん (jin), にん (nin), and ひと (hito).

Interestingly, 人 is one of the first kanjis that students learn, precisely because of its simplicity and frequency. It appears in over 1,300 words in the dictionary, according to Kanjipedia, one of the most reliable databases on Japanese characters. Its radical (the part that indicates meaning) is itself, which makes it easier to memorize for beginners.

Tips for memorizing and using 人[じん]

An effective way to remember 人[じん] is to associate it with words that are already part of your vocabulary. For example, if you know that 日本 (Nihon) means "Japan," it's easy to remember that 日本人 (Nihonjin) is "Japanese." This pattern repeats in various nationalities, such as フランス人 (Furansujin - French) or 中国人 (Chūgokujin - Chinese).

Another tip is to pay attention to the context. While じん appears more in compound terms, ひと is used alone or in informal expressions. A common mistake among beginners is saying じん when referring to a specific person, such as in *あのじんは優しい (ano jin wa yasashii). The correct form would be あの人は優しい (ano hito wa yasashii), since じん does not function as a standalone noun in these cases.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 者 (sha) - Person, someone, usually used in formal or legal contexts.
• 男女 (danjo) - Men and women; refers to both sexes.
• 人間 (ningen) - Human being, the condition of being human, emphasizing the nature and essence of humanity.
• 人物 (jinbutsu) - Character or person, focus on individual or notable characteristics.
• 人類 (jinrui) - Humanity refers to the entirety of the human species.

人

Romaji: jin
Kana: じん
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n5

Translation / Meaning: man; person; guys

Meaning in English: man;person;people

Definition: human. A type of living being that has reason and emotions, and that shapes society and culture.

Example Sentences - (人) jin

See below some example sentences:

誠実な人は信頼される。

Seijitsuna hito wa shinrai sareru

Honest people are trustworthy.

Sincere people are trustworthy.

• 誠実な人 - means "honest person" in Japanese.
• は - topic particle in Japanese.
• 信頼される - means "to be trustworthy" in Japanese.

謎謎な人生を歩む。

Nazo nazo na jinsei wo ayumu

A mysterious life walks.

• 謎謎 - means "mystery" or "enigma" in Japanese.
• な - particle that indicates adjective.
• 人生 - Means "life" in Japanese.
• を - particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence.
• 歩む - means "to walk" or "to traverse" in Japanese.

豊かな人生を送りたいです。

Yutaka na jinsei wo okuritai desu

I want to live an abundant life.

I want to live a rich life.

• 豊かな - rich, abundant
• 人生 - life
• を - direct object particle
• 送りたい - to want to send, to wish
• です - Verb "to be" in the present tense

足るは人生の幸せです。

Tariru wa jinsei no shiawase desu

Satisfaction is the happiness of life.

Enough is the happiness of life.

• 足る - means "to be enough"
• は - Topic particle
• 人生 - means "human life"
• の - Possessive particle
• 幸せ - means "happiness"
• です - Verb "to be" in polite form

身なりがきちんとしている人は信頼できると思います。

Minarigashi ga kichinto shite iru hito wa shinrai dekiru to omoimasu

I think people dressed appropriately can be trusted.

• 身なり - Appearance
• が - subject particle
• きちんと - properly, correctly
• している - be doing
• 人 - person
• は - Topic particle
• 信頼 - Confidence
• できる - Be able to
• と - Quote particle
• 思います - believe, think

迷うことは人間らしい。

Mayou koto wa ningen rashii

It's human to feel lost.

It seems human to get lost.

• 迷う - (mayou) - means "to be lost" or "to be in doubt"
• こと - (koto) - means "thing" or "fact"
• は - (wa) - grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 人間 - (human) - means "human being"
• らしい - (rashii) - suffix that indicates that something is typical or characteristic of something or someone

逆境に立ち向かうことが人生の成長につながる。

Gyakkyou ni tachimukau koto ga jinsei no seichou ni tsunagaru

Facing adversity leads to growth in life.

Confident adversities lead to the growth of life.

• 逆境 (gyakkyou) - adversity
• に (ni) - particle indicating destination or location
• 立ち向かう (tachimukau) - confront, resist
• こと (koto) - abstract noun, indicating action or event
• が (ga) - subject particle
• 人生 (jinsei) - life
• の (no) - partítulo indicando posse ou relação
• 成長 (seichou) - growth, development
• につながる (ni tsunagaru) - lead to, result in

進歩は人間の力です。

Shinpowa wa ningen no chikara desu

Progress is the power of humans.

• 進歩 - progresso
• は - partícula que indica o tópico da frase
• 人間 - human
• の - possessive particle
• 力 - power
• です - copula que indica polidez