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:

生存は人間にとって最も基本的な欲求の一つです。

Seizon wa ningen ni totte mottomo kihonteki na yokkyū no hitotsu desu

Survival is one of the most basic needs for human beings.

Survival is one of the most basic needs for human beings.

• 生存 - survival
• 人間 - Human being
• にとって - for
• 最も - the most
• 基本的な - fundamental
• 欲求 - wish
• の - of
• 一つ - I'm sorry, but I need the text you would like me to translate. Please provide the content for translation.
• です - is

男の人は強いです。

Otoko no hito wa tsuyoi desu

Men are strong.

The man is strong.

• 男の人 - man
• は - Topic particle
• 強い - strong
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

気が合う人と一緒にいると楽しいです。

Ki ga au hito to issho ni iru to tanoshii desu

It's fun to be with people who have the same energy as you.

It's fun to be with the people you care about.

• 気が合う - kigaau - to have similar interests or personalities
• 人 - hito - person
• と - to - with
• 一緒に - together - together
• いる - go be
• と - to - with
• 楽しい - Fun - fun
• です - is (a Japanese copula, often used to indicate a state of being) is

死刑は人権侵害だと考えられています。

Shikei wa jinken shingai da to kangaerareteimasu

The death penalty is considered a violation of human rights.

The death penalty is considered a violation of human rights.

• 死刑 - Death penalty
• は - Topic particle
• 人権 - human rights
• 侵害 - violation
• だと - expression indicating an opinion or belief
• 考えられています - is considered

概念は人間の思考の基礎である。

Gainen wa ningen no shikou no kiso de aru

The concepts are the foundation of human thinking.

The concept is the basis of human thought.

• 概念 (gainen) - concept
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 人間 (ningen) - Human being
• の (no) - Possession particle
• 思考 (shikou) - thought
• の (no) - Possession particle
• 基礎 (kiso) - Base, foundation
• である (dearu) - to be

標語は人々の心を動かす力を持つ。

Hyōgo wa hitobito no kokoro o ugokasu chikara o motsu

Slogans have the power to move people's hearts.

The slogan has the power to move people's hearts.

• 標語 - means "slogan" in Japanese.
• は - a particle that indicates the subject of the sentence, can be translated as "is".
• 人々 - means "people" in Japanese.
• の - a particle that indicates possession, can be translated as "of".
• 心 - means "heart" in Japanese.
• を - the particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence, can be translated as "that".
• 動かす - means "to move" in Japanese.
• 力 - means "strength" in Japanese.
• を - the particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence, can be translated as "that".
• 持つ - means "to have" in Japanese.
• . - period that indicates the end of the sentence.

欲望は人間の弱さだ。

Yokubou wa ningen no yowasa da

Desire is the weakness of the human being.

Desire is human weakness.

• 欲望 (yokubou) - desire, ambition
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 人間 (ningen) - Human being
• の (no) - Possession particle
• 弱さ (yowasa) - weakness
• だ (da) - Verb to be/estar in the present

教育は人生を変える力を持っています。

Kyouiku wa jinsei wo kaeru chikara wo motteimasu

Education has the power to change people's lives.

Education has the power to change lives.

• 教育 - Education
• は - Topic particle
• 人生 - Life
• を - Direct object particle
• 変える - change/transform
• 力 - power/strength
• を - Direct object particle
• 持っています - To/have

戦争は人類の最大の悲劇です。

Sensou wa jinrui no saidai no higeki desu

War is humanity's greatest tragedy.

War is humanity's greatest tragedy.

• 戦争 (sensou) - war
• は (wa) - grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 人類 (jinrui) - humanity
• の (no) - grammatical particle that indicates possession or relationship
• 最大 (saidai) - maximum, greater
• の (no) - grammatical particle that indicates possession or relationship
• 悲劇 (higeki) - tragedy
• です (desu) - verb to be in the polite form

戦災によって多くの人々が苦しんだ。

Sensai ni yotte ooku no hitobito ga kurushinda

Many people have suffered due to the damages of war.

Many people suffered due to the war.

• 戦災 - War and disaster
• によって - Through, by means of
• 多くの - Many
• 人々 - people
• が - Subject particle
• 苦しんだ - Suffered