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:

天災は人間の力では防ぎきれない自然の力です。

Tensai wa ningen no chikara de wa fusegikirenai shizen no chikara desu

Natural disaster is a natural power that cannot be prevented by human power.

• 天災 - Natural Disasters
• は - Topic particle
• 人間 - Human being
• の - Possessive particle
• 力 - power, strength
• では - particle indicating negation or restriction
• 防ぎきれない - cannot be completely prevented
• 自然 - nature
• の - Possessive particle
• 力 - power, strength
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

好き好きな人と一緒にいると幸せです。

Suki suki na hito to issho ni iru to shiawase desu

I'm happy to be with my favorite person.

• 好き好きな人と - With the person I like
• 一緒に - Together
• いる - Be
• と - With
• 幸せです - And happy

娯楽は人生に欠かせないものです。

Goraku wa jinsei ni kakasenai mono desu

Entertainment is indispensable to life.

• 娯楽 - Entertainment
• は - Topic particle
• 人生 - life
• に - Location particle
• 欠かせない - indispensable
• もの - thing
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

学習は人生を豊かにする。

Gakushuu wa jinsei wo yutaka ni suru

Aprendizado enriquece a vida.

Learning enriches life.

• 学習 - Learning, study
• は - Topic particle
• 人生 - life
• を - direct object particle
• 豊か - rich, abundant
• に - mode particle
• する - to do, to accomplish

学者は知識を追求する人です。

Gakusha wa chishiki o tsuikyū suru hito desu

A scholar is someone who seeks knowledge.

Students are those who seek knowledge.

• 学者 - It means "scholars" or "academics" in Japanese.
• は - It is a grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence.
• 知識 - means "knowledge" in Japanese.
• を - is a grammatical particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence.
• 追求する - It means "to pursue" or "to seek" in Japanese.
• 人 - means "person" in Japanese.
• です - It is a grammatical particle that indicates the end of the sentence and is used to express politeness or formality.

宗教は人々の信仰と精神的な支えです。

Shūkyō wa hitobito no shin'kō to seishinteki na sasaedeshi

Religion is the religion and mental support of the people.

• 宗教 - Religion
• は - Topic particle
• 人々 - people
• の - Possession particle
• 信仰 - Faith
• と - connecting particle
• 精神的な - spiritual
• 支え - support
• です - Verb "to be" in the present tense

尊い人生を送りたい。

Toutoi jinsei wo okuritai

I want to live a precious life.

I want to live a precious life.

• 尊い - precious, valuable
• 人生 - life
• を - Particle that indicates the object of the action
• 送りたい - want to send, wish to send

少しでも多くの人々が幸せになることを願っています。

Sukoshi demo ooku no hitobito ga shiawase ni naru koto wo negatteimasu

I hope even if a little

I hope as many people as possible to be happy.

• 少し (sukoshi) - a little
• でも (demo) - but nevertheless
• 多く (ooku) - many
• の (no) - Possession particle
• 人々 (hitobito) - people
• が (ga) - subject particle
• 幸せ (shiawase) - happiness
• に (ni) - target particle
• なる (naru) - become
• こと (koto) - Thing, fact
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 願っています (negatteimasu) - desire, hope

平等は人間の基本的な権利です。

Heidou wa ningen no kihonteki na kenri desu

Equality is the basic law of humans.

• 平等 - equality
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 人間 - Human being
• の - Particle that indicates possession
• 基本的な - fundamental
• 権利 - right
• です - Verb "to be" in the present tense

幼稚な行動をやめて大人になろう。

Yōchi na kōdō o yamete otona ni narou

Stop the child behavior and become an adult.

• 幼稚な - Childish, immature
• 行動 - behavior, action
• を - object particle
• やめて - Stop, cease
• 大人 - adult
• に - target particle
• なろう - to become