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:

私たちは生き生きとした人生を送りたいです。

Watashitachi wa ikiiki to shita jinsei o okuritai desu

We want to live a lively life.

• 私たちは - 「私たち」
• 生き生きとした - "Vibrant" or "lively" in Japanese.
• 人生を - "Life" in Japanese
• 送りたいです - "We want to send" in Japanese.

科学は人類の進歩に不可欠なものです。

Kagaku wa jinrui no shinpo ni fukaketsu na mono desu

Science is indispensable for human progress.

• 科学 (kagaku) - science
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 人類 (jinrui) - humanity
• の (no) - Possession particle
• 進歩 (shinpo) - progress
• に (ni) - target particle
• 不可欠 (fukaketsu) - Essential, indispensable
• な (na) - adjectival particle
• もの (mono) - thing
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar in the present

空港にはたくさんの人がいます。

Kuukou ni wa takusan no hito ga imasu

There are many people at the airport.

• 空港 (kūkō) - airport
• に (ni) - particle indicating location
• は (wa) - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• たくさん (takusan) - many
• の (no) - Particle that indicates possession
• 人 (hito) - people
• が (ga) - particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• います (imasu) - verb that indicates the existence of something or someone

競馬は日本で人気のあるスポーツです。

Keiba wa Nihon de ninki no aru supootsu desu

Horse racing is a popular sport in Japan.

• 競馬 - Horses race
• は - Topic particle
• 日本 - Japan
• で - place particle
• 人気 - Popularity
• の - Possession particle
• ある - Verb "to be" in the present tense
• スポーツ - sport
• です - polite way of "being" in the present

素質がある人は成功する可能性が高いです。

Soshitsu ga aru hito wa seikou suru kanousei ga takai desu

People with qualities will probably be successful.

• 素質 - quality, skill
• が - subject particle
• ある - exist, have
• 人 - person
• は - Topic particle
• 成功する - succeed
• 可能性 - possibility
• が - subject particle
• 高い - high
• です - to be (polite form)

結婚は人生の大きな節目です。

Kekkon wa jinsei no ookina fushime desu

Marriage is a big milestone in life.

Marriage is an important milestone in life.

• 結婚 - wedding
• は - Topic particle
• 人生 - life
• の - Possession particle
• 大きな - large
• 節目 - March
• です - verb ser (polite form)

老人は尊敬されるべきです。

Roujin wa sonkei sareru beki desu

The elderly must be respected.

The old must be respected.

• 老人 (roujin) - "elderly person"
• は (wa) - grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 尊敬 (sonkei) - The word "respeito" in Japanese is "リスペクト" (risupekuto).
• されるべき (sareru beki) - passive form of the verb "dever" in Japanese, indicating that something must be done
• です (desu) - polite form of "to be" in Japanese, used to end a sentence

背が高い人が好きです。

Se ga takai hito ga suki desu

I like tall people.

• 背が高い - adjective that means "tall in stature"
• 人 - noun that means "person"
• が - particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 好き - The adjective that means "to like" is "gostoso" or "agradável."
• です - auxiliary verb that indicates the polite or formal form of discourse

脳は人間の最も重要な器官の一つです。

Nou wa ningen no mottomo juuyou na kikan no hitotsu desu

The brain is one of the most important organs of human beings.

• 脳 (nou) - brain
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 人間 (ningen) - Human being
• の (no) - Possessive particle
• 最も (mottomo) - the most
• 重要な (juuyouna) - important
• 器官 (kikan) - organ
• の (no) - Possessive 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) - to be

臍は人体の中心に位置する。

Sai wa jintai no chūshin ni ichi suru

The navel is located in the center of the human body.

• 臍 (navel) - indicates the part of the human body that is the central point of the abdomen.
• 人体 (corpo humano) - refers to the set of organs, tissues, and systems that make up the human body
• 中心 (centro) - indicates the point or place that is in the middle or at the center of something.
• 位置する (estar localizado) - indicates the position or location of something