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:

私は目上の人に敬意を払います。

Watashi wa meue no hito ni keii o haraimasu

I respect people superior to me.

I respect the superiors.

• 私 - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 目上の人 - expression that means "superior person" or "person in a higher position"
• に - Particle indicating the target of the action
• 敬意を払います - verb that means "show respect" or "pay tribute"

私は人混みに紛れていた。

Watashi wa hitogomi ni magirete ita

I was mixed up in the crowd.

I was confused.

• 私 - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は - Japanese particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "I"
• 人混み - Japanese noun meaning "crowd"
• に - Japanese particle that indicates the direction or place where something happens, in this case, "in the crowd"
• 紛れていた - Japanese verb meaning "to be mixed", conjugated in the past and indicating a continuous action, in this case, "I was mixed in the crowd"

私の配偶者は私の最高の友人です。

Watashi no haigūsha wa watashi no saikō no yūjin desu

My spouse is my best friend.

• 私 - The personal pronoun that means "I" in Japanese.
• の - particle that indicates possession or belonging
• 配偶者 - noun meaning "spouse" in Japanese
• は - particle indicating the theme or subject of the sentence
• 最高 - adjective meaning "better" or "superior" in Japanese
• の - particle that indicates possession or belonging
• 友人 - noun meaning "friend" in Japanese
• です - verb to be in the polite Japanese form

私の恋人はとても素晴らしい人です。

Watashi no koibito wa totemo subarashii hito desu

My lover is a very wonderful person.

• 私 - The personal pronoun that means "I" in Japanese.
• の - particle indicating possession, equivalent to "de" in Portuguese
• 恋人 - Noun that means "lover" or "boyfriend/girlfriend" in Japanese
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, equivalent to "é" in Portuguese
• とても - adverb meaning "very" in Japanese
• 素晴らしい - adjective that means "wonderful" or "excellent" in Japanese
• 人 - noun that means "person" in Japanese
• です - verb "to be" in Japanese, used to indicate state or quality

私の知人はとても親切です。

Watashi no chijin wa totemo shinsetsu desu

My acquaintance is very kind.

• 私 - personal pronoun that means "I"
• の - particle that indicates possession or belonging
• 知人 - noun that means "acquaintance" or "friend"
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• とても - adverb meaning "very"
• 親切 - adjective that means "kind" or "gentle"
• です - verb that indicates the current state or action, in this case, "is"

私の祖母はとても優しい人です。

Watashi no sobo wa totemo yasashii hito desu

My grandmother is a very kind person.

• 私 - personal pronoun that means "I"
• の - particle that indicates possession, equivalent to "of"
• 祖母 - "Grandfather"
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, equivalent to "about"
• とても - adverb meaning "very"
• 優しい - adjective meaning "kind"
• 人 - noun that means "person"
• です - verb that indicates the state or action, equivalent to "to be" or "to stay"

私の父親はとても優しい人です。

Watashi no chichioya wa totemo yasashii hito desu

My father is a very kind person.

• 私 - personal pronoun that means "I"
• の - particle that indicates possession, equivalent to "of"
• 父親 - noun that means "father"
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, equivalent to "about"
• とても - adverb meaning "very"
• 優しい - adjective meaning "kind"
• 人 - noun that means "person"
• です - verb that indicates the state or condition, equivalent to "is"

私たちの人生は常に変わるものです。

Watashitachi no jinsei wa tsuneni kawaru mono desu

Our life is always changing.

• 私たちの - 私たち
• 人生 - "Life" in Japanese
• は - Japanese topic particle
• 常に - Always in Japanese
• 変わる - "change" in Japanese
• もの - "thing" in Japanese
• です - The verb "to be" in Japanese in its polite form.

私たちの人生は常に移り変わっています。

Watashitachi no jinsei wa tsuneni utsuri kawatte imasu

Our lives are always changing.

Our life is always changing.

• 私たちの - personal pronoun plural that means "our"
• 人生 - substantive that means "life"
• は - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 常に - adverb meaning "always"
• 移り変わっています - verb that means "to change" or "to float" conjugated in the present continuous

私たちは人生を享受するために生まれてきた。

Watashitachi wa jinsei wo kyouju suru tame ni umarete kita

We were born to enjoy life.

• 私たちは - 私たち
• 人生 - "Life" in Japanese
• を - Direct Object Particle in Japanese
• 享受する - "enjoy" in Japanese
• ために - "To" in Japanese
• 生まれてきた - "We were born" in Japanese