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:

人形を集めるのが彼女の趣味です。

Ningyou wo atsumeru no ga kanojo no shumi desu

Collecting dolls is her hobby.

Collecting dolls is her hobby.

• 人形 - Means "doll" in Japanese.
• を - direct object particle in Japanese.
• 集める - verb meaning "to collect" in Japanese.
• のが - particle that indicates the subject of the sentence in Japanese.
• 彼女 - means "she" in Japanese.
• の - possession particle in Japanese.
• 趣味 - means "hobby" in Japanese.
• です - verb "to be" in Japanese.

人格は大切なものです。

Jinkaku wa taisetsu na mono desu

Personality is important.

Personality is important.

• 人格 (jinkaku) - personality, character
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 大切 (taisetsu) - important, valuable
• な (na) - Particle indicating adjective
• もの (mono) - thing, object
• です (desu) - verb to be in the polite form

人生はいつか絶える。

Jinsei wa itsuka taeru

Life one day ends.

Life will end someday.

• 人生 (jinsei) - Life
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• いつか (itsuka) - someday
• 絶える (taeru) - finish, end

人生は時に分かれる道を選ばなければならない。

Jinsei wa toki ni wakareru michi o erabanakereba naranai

Sometimes in life

Life must choose a path sometimes divided.

• 人生 (jinsei) - Life
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 時に (toki ni) - Sometimes
• 分かれる (wakareru) - divide
• 道 (michi) - Path
• を (wo) - object particle
• 選ばなければならない (erabanakereba naranai) - You must choose

人生は果てることのない旅路です。

Jinsei wa hateru koto no nai tabiji desu

Life is an endless journey.

Life is an endless journey.

• 人生 (jinsei) - Life
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 果てる (hateru) - finish, end
• こと (koto) - Thing, fact
• の (no) - Possessive particle
• ない (nai) - Negative
• 旅路 (tabiji) - Journey, trip
• です (desu) - polite way of being

人生は予期せぬ方向に転じることがある。

Jinsei wa yokisenu houkou ni tenjiru koto ga aru

Life can change direction unexpectedly.

Life can turn in an unexpected direction.

• 人生 - Life
• は - Topic particle
• 予期せぬ - Inesperado
• 方向 - Direction
• に - Destination particle
• 転じる - change
• こと - Abstract noun
• が - Subject particle
• ある - exist

人種差別は許されない。

Jinshu sabetsu wa yurusarenai

Racial discrimination is not allowed.

Racial discrimination is not allowed.

• 人種差別 - Racial discrimination
• は - Topic particle
• 許されない - Not allowed

人通りが多い街は活気がある。

Hitodorigai ga ooi machi wa katsuki ga aru

The city with a lot of people movement is lively.

A city with many people is lively.

• 人通りが多い - it indicates that there are many people circulating in the area.
• 街 - means city or neighborhood.
• は - topic marker particle.
• 活気がある - it expresses that there is energy, movement, and animation in the area.

人造の花は美しいです。

Jinzou no hana wa utsukushii desu

Artificial flowers are beautiful.

Artificial flowers are beautiful.

• 人造の花 - It means "artificial flowers."
• は - topic particle, indicates that the subject of the sentence is "artificial flowers".
• 美しい - Adjective that means "beautiful" or "pretty".
• です - verb "to be" in the polite and formal form.

人類は地球上で最も進化した生物の一つです。

Jinrui wa chikyūjō de mottomo shinka shita seibutsu no hitotsu desu

Humanity is one of the most evolved creatures on earth.

Humanity is one of the most evolved creatures on earth.

• 人類 (jinrui) - Human race
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 地球上 (chikyuu jou) - in the land
• で (de) - Location particle
• 最も (mottomo) - the most
• 進化した (shinka shita) - evolved
• 生物 (seibutsu) - Living being
• の (no) - Possession particle
• 一つ (hitotsu) - I'm sorry, but I need the text you would like me to translate. Please provide the content for translation.
• です (desu) - Verb "to be"