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:

会場にはたくさんの人が集まっていた。

Kaichou ni wa takusan no hito ga atsumatte ita

Many people gathered at the scene.

Many people gathered at the scene.

• 会場 (kaikan) - Event location
• に (ni) - Particle that indicates the place where something happens
• は (wa) - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• たくさんの (takusan no) - many
• 人 (hito) - people
• が (ga) - particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 集まっていた (atsumatteita) - were gathered

伯母さんはとても優しい人です。

Obasan wa totemo yasashii hito desu

My aunt is a very kind person.

Tia is a very kind person.

• 伯母さん - aunt (in Japanese)
• は - Topic particle
• とても - very
• 優しい - Kind, friendly
• 人 - person
• です - Verb ser/estar (polite form)

住宅は私たちの人生の中で最も大きな買い物の一つです。

Jūtaku wa watashitachi no jinsei no naka de mottomo ōkina kaimono no hitotsu desu

A house is one of the biggest purchases in our lives.

Housing is one of the biggest purchases in our lives.

• 住宅 (juutaku) - house, residence
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 私たち (watashitachi) - we, our
• の (no) - Possession particle
• 人生 (jinsei) - life
• の中で (no naka de) - Inside of
• 最も (mottomo) - the most, the most important
• 大きな (ookina) - large
• 買い物 (kaimono) - purchase, purchase of goods
• の (no) - Possession particle
• 一つ (hitotsu) - one of the
• です (desu) - verb to be, to stay

仙人は山に住んでいます。

Sennin wa yama ni sunde imasu

Hermits live in the mountains.

Sennin lives in the mountains.

• 仙人 - a word in Japanese that means "hermit" or "immortal sage."
• は - a grammatical particle in Japanese that indicates the topic of the sentence.
• 山 - a word in Japanese that means "mountain".
• に - a grammatical particle in Japanese that indicates the location of the action.
• 住んでいます - a Japanese expression that means "to live" or "to reside".

人々が列をなして並ぶ。

Hitobito ga retsu o natte narabu

People form a straight line.

People align in a line.

• 人々 - means "people" in Japanese.
• が - It is a particle that indicates the subject of the sentence.
• 列 - "Fila" means "line" in Japanese.
• を - is a particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence.
• なして - it is the negative form of the verb "並ぶ" which means "to stand in line".
• 並ぶ - "to line up"

人々の心に希望が募る。

Hitobito no kokoro ni kibou ga tsunoru

Hope grows in people's hearts.

Hope is raised in people's hearts.

• 人々の - "pessoas" in Japanese
• 心に - "no coração" in Japanese
• 希望が - "esperança" in Japanese
• 募る - "increase, grow" in Japanese

人口が増える。

Jinkou ga fueru

The population is increasing.

The population increases.

• 人口 - population
• が - subject particle
• 増える - increase

人口が増す。

Jinkou ga masu

The population is increasing.

The population increases.

• 人口 - "population" in Japanese.
• が - is a grammatical particle that indicates the subject of the sentence.
• 増す - it is a verb that means "to increase" or "to grow".

人口が増えている。

Jinkou ga fuete iru

The population is increasing.

The population is increasing.

• 人口 - "population" in Japanese.
• が - Grammatical particle that indicates the subject of the sentence.
• 増えている - verb "to increase" conjugated in the present continuous, indicating an ongoing action.

人命を大切にしましょう。

Jinmei wo taisetsu ni shimashou

Let's value human life.

Let's value human life.

• 人命 - human life
• を - object particle
• 大切 - important, valuable
• に - target particle
• しましょう - kind way of the verb "do", indicating a suggestion or request