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:

二人で行きましょう。

Futari de ikimashou

Let's go together, the two of us.

Let's go together.

• 二人 (futari) - It means "two people."
• で (de) - it is a particle that indicates the medium or the way something is done
• 行きましょう (ikimashou) - It is a verb that means "let's go" or "let's do"

人が多いですね。

Hito ga ooi desu ne

There are many people here.

There are many people.

• 人 - 漢字 que significa "person"
• が - grammatical particle that marks the subject of the sentence
• 多い - adjective that means "many" or "much" (in the case of the sentence, "many")
• です - verb "to be" in the present, used to indicate a polite or formal statement
• ね - grammatical particle used to indicate a rhetorical question or to seek the interlocutor's agreement

人を欺くことは悪いことです。

Hito wo azamuku koto wa warui koto desu

It's bad to deceive people.

• 人 - means "person" in Japanese.
• を - Object particle in Japanese.
• 欺く - verb meaning "to deceive" or "to delude" in Japanese.
• こと - noun meaning "thing" or "fact" in Japanese.
• は - topic particle in Japanese.
• 悪い - adjective that means "bad" or "evil" in Japanese.
• こと - noun meaning "thing" or "fact" in Japanese.
• です - verb "to be" in Japanese, used to indicate an affirmation or a statement.

人と人を隔てる壁を取り払おう。

Hito to hito o hedateru kabe o toriharaou

Let's remove the barriers that separate people.

Let's remove the wall that separates people.

• 人 - means "person" in Japanese.
• と - is a linking particle in Japanese, which indicates that something is being connected to something else.
• 隔てる - is a Japanese verb meaning "to separate" or "to divide".
• 壁 - means "wall" in Japanese.
• を - is an object particle in Japanese, which indicates that the verb is being applied to the object.
• 取り払おう - is a Japanese verb meaning "to remove" or "to eliminate".

人事を担当する部署に所属しています。

Jinji wo tantou suru busho ni shozoku shiteimasu

I belong to the department responsible for personnel matters.

I belong to a department in charge of HR.

• 人事 - Human resources
• を - object particle
• 担当する - Responsible for
• 部署 - Department
• に - Destination particle
• 所属しています - Is affiliated

人が込む場所は避けたいです。

Hito ga komu basho wa saketai desu

I want to avoid places that are crowded with people.

I want to avoid the place where people might go.

• 人 - means "people" in Japanese.
• が - is a grammatical particle that indicates the subject of the sentence.
• 込む - It is a verb that means "to be crowded" or "to be full."
• 場所 - It means "place" or "location" in Japanese.
• は - It is a grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence.
• 避けたい - it's a verb that means "to want to avoid".
• です - It is a grammatical particle that indicates the polite form of the verb "to be" in Japanese.

人影が見える。

Hito kage ga mieru

A human figure can be seen.

You can see the figure.

• 人影 - shadow person, that is, a human figure that can be seen, but not clearly identified.
• が - Grammatical particle that indicates the subject of the sentence.
• 見える - to see, to see through, to perceive. In this case, the verb is in the present tense and indicates that the shadow person can be seen.

人体は複雑な構造を持っています。

Jintai wa fukuzatsu na kozo o motte imasu

The human body has a complicated structure.

• 人体 (jintai) - Human body
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 複雑 (fukuzatsu) - complex
• な (na) - adjectival particle
• 構造 (kouzou) - structure
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 持っています (motteimasu) - Have, possess

人数が少ないです。

Ninsuu ga sukunai desu

The number of people is small.

• 人数 - means "number of people" in Japanese.
• が - is a grammatical particle that indicates the subject of the sentence.
• 少ない - is an adjective meaning "little" or "low" in quantity.
• です - is a polite way of saying "ser" or "estar" in Japanese.

人情を大切にしましょう。

Ninjou wo taisetsu ni shimashou

Let's value human feelings.

Let's value humanity.

• 人情 - It means "human feeling" or "human emotion."
• を - object particle.
• 大切 - means "important" or "precious".
• に - destination or location particle.
• しましょう - polite and polite way of the verb "fazer".