Translation and Meaning of: 員 - in

If you have ever wondered what the kanji 員 (いん - "in") means or how it is used in everyday Japanese, this article will show you its origin as well as practical tips for memorization. Here, in addition to understanding the meaning of member or integrant, you will discover how this character appears in everyday words such as 社員 (しゃいん - employee) and 会員 (かいいん - member). And if you use Anki or another spaced repetition system, you will find useful examples to boost your studies.

The kanji 員 is one of those characters that seems simple but carries an interesting history. It not only represents people within a group but also appears in formal and informal contexts. Want to know why it is so common in job titles and how to differentiate it from other similar kanjis? Keep reading!

Origin and Evolution of the Kanji 員

The etymology of 員 dates back to ancient China, where its original pictogram represented a mouth (口) below a round object, symbolizing something "contained" or "belonging to a group." Over time, this meaning expanded to refer to people within an organization. Interestingly, although the radical 貝 (shell) appears in older versions, the modern form simplified this structure.

In Japan, kanji was adopted during the cultural importation period from China, retaining its meaning of "member" but gaining specific uses. Proof of this is how it appears in bureaucratic terms - anyone who has seen a company badge in Japan has certainly read 社員 (employee) printed on it. This practical application shows how an ancient character has adapted to modern society.

Everyday Use and Popular Combinations

In contemporary Japanese, 員 rarely appears alone - its power lies in combinations. Words like 店員 (てんいん - clerk), 乗員 (じょういん - crew), and 教員 (きょういん - teacher) showcase its versatility. An interesting case is 委員 (いいん - committee), commonly used in schools and companies to designate working groups. Have you noticed how these terms always indicate someone being part of something larger?

A common mistake among students is confusing 員 with similar kanjis like 貢 (contribution) or 唄 (song). A tip? Remember that 員 always has that "roof" (口) on top, as if protecting the members below it. And when you see 員 at the end of a word, you can bet it's referring to people in some kind of organization - from 警備員 (security guards) to 図書員 (librarians).

Memory Tips and Curiosities

To memorize this kanji, try the mental association: imagine that the top square (口) is a conference room and the bottom part represents the legs of the people sitting at the table - all "members" of the same group. This worked for several of my students who struggled with abstract characters. Another technique is to create flashcards with compound words, as the context makes it easier to remember.

In Japanese pop culture, 員 appears in unexpected places. Manga about offices often use 社員 as slang for "employee." And in a famous anime episode, a character plays with the double meaning of 委員 (committee) and いい音 (good sound). These details show how a seemingly formal kanji comes to life in everyday situations. How about trying to spot 員 in the next subtitles you watch?

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 職員 (shokuin) - Employee of a public institution or organization.
• 従業員 (juugyouin) - Employee or worker, usually in a company.
• 社員 (shain) - Employee or member of a company, often in a more formal connection.
• 人員 (jinin) - Staff or number of employees refers to the number of people in an organizational context.
• 勤務員 (kinmuin) - Employee on duty, usually in public or maintenance services.

員

Romaji: in
Kana: いん
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n1

Translation / Meaning: member

Meaning in English: O kanji 員 (in) significa "membro" ou "funcionário". Este kanji é composto pelo radical 口 (boca) e 貝 (concha), refletindo uma pessoa que participa de um grupo ou organização. A origem deste kanji remonta ao uso de conchas como moeda na antiga China, simbolizando riqueza e participação econômica. No Japão, 員 é usado para descrever membros de equipes e organizações.

Definition: 1. A member of an organization or group. Used when counting individual people. 2. A unit for counting numbers.

Example Sentences - (員) in

See below some example sentences:

私は派遣社員です。

Watashi wa haken shain desu

I am a temporary employee.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• 派遣社員 (haken shain) - term that refers to a temporary or outsourced worker
• です (desu) - Verb "to be" in polite form

私の父は公立病院の職員です。

Watashi no chichi wa kōritsu byōin no shokuin desu

My father is a team of public hospitals.

• 私 - personal pronoun that means "I"
• の - particle that indicates possession or belonging
• 父 - noun that means "father"
• は - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• 公立 - adjective that means "public"
• 病院 - The noun that means "hospital" is "hospital" in English.
• の - particle that indicates possession or belonging
• 職員 - noun that means "employee"
• です - verb that indicates to be or to stay, in the present tense and formal

私は教員です。

Watashi wa kyōin desu

I am a teacher.

I am a teacher.

• 私 - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 教員 - noun meaning "teacher"
• です - verb ser/estar in the polite and formal form

私はこのサイトの会員です。

Watashi wa kono saito no kaiin desu

I am a member of this site.

• 私 - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "I"
• この - demonstrative adjective meaning "this"
• サイト - noun that means "site"
• の - particle that indicates possession, in this case, "of the site"
• 会員 - noun that means "member"
• です - Verb "to be" in polite form

私たちは新しい社員を雇う必要があります。

Watashitachi wa atarashii shain o yatou hitsuyou ga arimasu

We need to hire a new employee.

We need to hire new employees.

• 私たちは - 「私たち」
• 新しい - "New" in Japanese
• 社員 - "Employee" in Japanese
• を - Direct Object Particle in Japanese
• 雇う - "Contratar" in Japanese
• 必要があります - "We need" in Japanese

総会には全員出席してください。

Sōkai ni wa zen'in shusseki shite kudasai

Please join everyone in the general meeting.

• 総会 (soukai) - General meeting
• には (niwa) - Particle that indicates the place or moment when something happens
• 全員 (zen'in) - All members
• 出席 (shusseki) - Presence
• してください (shite kudasai) - Please, do it.

臨時の雇用員を募集しています。

Rinji no koyouin wo boshuu shiteimasu

We are hiring temporary employees.

We are looking for temporary employees.

• 臨時の - temporary
• 雇用員 - hired employee
• を - object particle
• 募集しています - is recruiting

警備員がビルの入り口で見張っています。

Keibiin ga biru no iriguchi de mihotteimasu

Security guards are watching at the entrance of the building.

• 警備員 - Security guard
• が - Subject particle
• ビル - building
• の - Possessive particle
• 入り口 - Prohibited
• で - Location particle
• 見張っています - Is watching