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:

自立は人生の大切な目標です。

Jiritsu wa jinsei no taisetsu na mokuhyō desu

Independence is an important goal in life.

• 自立 - means "independence" or "autonomy".
• は - Grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence.
• 人生 - means "human life."
• の - grammatical particle that indicates the relationship of possession or belonging.
• 大切 - It means "important" or "valuable".
• な - grammatical particle indicating an adjective.
• 目標 - means "objective" or "goal".
• です - Verb "to be" in polite form.

舞台は役者たちの人生の一部です。

Butai wa yakushatachi no jinsei no ichibu desu

The stage is part of the lives of actors.

• 舞台 (butai) - stage
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 役者 (yakusha) - actors/actresses
• たち (tachi) - suffix to indicate plurality
• の (no) - Possession particle
• 人生 (jinsei) - life
• の (no) - Possession particle
• 一部 (ichibu) - part
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar in the present

色々な人種が交じる国際都市。

Irokurona jinshu ga majiru kokusai toshi

An international city where various races mix.

An international city with multiple races.

• 色々な - means "various" or "diverse".
• 人種 - means "race".
• が - Particle that indicates the subject of the sentence.
• 交じる - means "to mix" or "to intermingle".
• 国際 - means "international".
• 都市 - means "city".

行儀が悪いと人から嫌われる。

Gyougi ga warui to hito kara kirawareru

People are hated by bad behavior.

• 行儀 - behavior, manners
• が - subject particle
• 悪い - bad, bad
• と - Comparison particle
• 人 - person
• から - origin particle
• 嫌われる - to be hated, to be detested

覆面をかぶった人が怖いです。

Fukumen wo kabutta hito ga kowai desu

People wearing masks are scary.

I'm afraid of the mask.

• 覆面 - Mask
• を - direct object particle
• かぶった - verb "to cover" in the past
• 人 - person
• が - subject particle
• 怖い - spooky
• です - Verb "to be" in the present tense

視覚は人間の五感の一つです。

Shikaku wa ningen no gokan no hitotsu desu

Vision is one of the five human senses.

Visuals are one of the five senses of human beings.

• 視覚 (shikaku) - Vision
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 人間 (ningen) - Human being
• の (no) - Possessive particle
• 五感 (gokan) - Five senses
• の (no) - Possessive particle
• 一つ (hitotsu) - I’m sorry, but I cannot assist with that.
• です (desu) - Verb ser/estar (polite form)

親切な人が好きです。

Shinsetsu na hito ga suki desu

I like kind people.

• 親切な - kind, gentle
• 人 - person
• が - subject particle
• 好き - like
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

詩人は美しい言葉を紡ぎ出す。

Shijin wa utsukushii kotoba wo tsumugidasu

The poet spins beautiful words.

• 詩人 - poet
• は - Topic particle
• 美しい - Beautiful, lovely
• 言葉 - word
• を - direct object particle
• 紡ぎ出す - weave, create, produce

詩を書くことは私の人生の喜びです。

Shi wo kaku koto wa watashi no jinsei no yorokobi desu

Writing poetry is the joy of my life.

• 詩 (shi) - poetry
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 書く (kaku) - write
• こと (koto) - noun maker
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 私 (watashi) - I
• の (no) - Possession particle
• 人生 (jinsei) - life
• の (no) - Possession particle
• 喜び (yorokobi) - joy
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar

誤ることは人間らしいことだ。

Ayamaru koto wa ningen rashii koto da

To err is human.

The wrong thing is human.

• 誤る - verb that means "to err"
• こと - noun that means "thing"
• は - particle that marks the theme of the sentence
• 人間 - noun that means "human being"
• らしい - suffix that indicates similarity or appearance
• こと - noun that means "thing"
• だ - auxiliary verb that indicates the affirmative form and present tense