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人

On'yomi
ジン・ニン
JIN / NIN
Kun'yomi
ひと・-り・-と
hito / ri / to

person

Details

Strokes2
Frequency#5
Radical人person(2)

Stroke Order

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Strokes2

Cultural Context

Etymology

Pictograph of a person standing, seen from the side.

Symbolism

Human, people, character. Represents dignity of human existence.

Words & Expressions

Words written with 人

人形にんぎょうdoll
浪人ろうにんronin
名人めいじんmaster
罪人ざいにんcriminal
代人だいにんsubstitute

Four-Character Compounds

佳人薄命

かじんはくめい

beauties die young; beauty and luck seldom go together

桂冠詩人

けいかんしじん

poet laureate

月下氷人

げっかひょうじん

go-between; matchmaker; Cupid

衆人環視

しゅうじんかんし

all eyes (of the public); (in) full view of the public; (with) everyone looking on

十人十色

じゅうにんといろ

several men, several minds; everyone has his own (ideas, tastes, interests, etc.); different strokes for different folks

人為淘汰

じんいとうた

artificial selection

人海戦術

じんかいせんじゅつ

human wave attack; human wave tactics; throwing people at a problem

人権蹂躙

じんけんじゅうりん

human rights violation; trampling on human rights

人事不省

じんじふせい

unconsciousness

人身攻撃

じんしんこうげき

personal attack; ad hominem attack

人生哲学

じんせいてつがく

philosophy of life

人道主義

じんどうしゅぎ

humanism; humanitarianism

他人行儀

たにんぎょうぎ

standing on formality; in a reserved manner; treating a friend as a stranger

二人三脚

ににんさんきゃく

three-legged race; cooperation with singleness of purpose (e.g. between companies); operating in tandem

八方美人

はっぽうびじん

everybody's friend; people pleaser; person who is affable to everybody

傍若無人

ぼうじゃくぶじん

behaving outrageously as though there were no one around; acting without consideration for others; arrogance

人面獣心

じんめんじゅうしん

beast in human form

人跡未到

じんせきみとう

unexplored

前人未到

ぜんじんみとう

untrodden (region, field of study, etc.); unprecedented (discovery, achievement, etc.)

人畜無害

じんちくむがい

harmless to humans and animals; having no influence; unimportant

田夫野人

でんぷやじん

rustic; boor; hick

各人各様

かくじんかくよう

different strokes for different folks; people doing something in their own way

女人禁制

にょにんきんせい

prohibition on women entering (usu. for religious reasons); no female admission

文人墨客

ぶんじんぼっかく

writers and artists; persons who take delight in such refined pursuits as poetry, literature, painting and calligraphy

盗人根性

ぬすっとこんじょう

thievish nature (character); thieving heart; cunning and greedy character

才子佳人

さいしかじん

talented man and a beautiful woman; well-matched pair; wit and beauty

小人閑居

しょうじんかんきょ

a small-minded person being idle (tends to do evil)

人心一新

じんしんいっしん

complete change in public sentiment; leading the thought of the people to an entirely different channel

人心収攬

じんしんしゅうらん

winning the hearts of the people; capturing public sentiment

人生行路

じんせいこうろ

journey of life

人品骨柄

じんぴんこつがら

personal appearance and physique; person's appearance and physique giving a feeling of respectable character

美人薄命

びじんはくめい

beauty and fortune seldom go together; the beautiful die young

百人百様

ひゃくにんひゃくよう

so many men, so many ways; to each one's own; it takes all sorts to make a world

人心恟々

じんしんきょうきょう

panic-stricken (people); frightened (masses); alarmed

人相風体

にんそうふうてい

someone's looks and personal appearance

悪人正機

あくにんしょうき

The evil persons are the right object of Amida's salvation; The evil persons have the unique opportunity to go to heaven

一人当千

いちにんとうせん

being a match for a thousand

義理人情

ぎりにんじょう

duty and humanity; (a sense of) moral obligation and humane feelings

敬天愛人

けいてんあいじん

revere heaven, love people

人事考課

じんじこうか

merit (ability, efficiency) rating; employee performance evaluation

人生朝露

じんせいちょうろ

man's life vanishes like a dew; a person's life is as fleeting as a morning dew

人物月旦

じんぶつげったん

character sketch; comments on personalities

聖人君子

せいじんくんし

person of lofty virtue; man of noble character; perfect person

世態人情

せたいにんじょう

(contemporary) customs and behavior; the picture of people's life in the contemporary world

世道人心

せどうじんしん

(public) morals and sentiments

天理人情

てんりにんじょう

the laws of nature and humanity

人気稼業

にんきかぎょう

popular occupation; occupation largely dependent on public favor

盗人上戸

ぬすびとじょうご

person who likes alcohol and sweets equally well; person who can drink much alcohol without becoming tipsy

月下老人

げっかろうじん

go-between; matchmaker

Proverbs & Idioms

人の噂も七十五日

ひとのうわさもしちじゅうごにち

People's gossip lasts only 75 days

Rumors are soon forgotten

人を見たら泥棒と思え

ひとをみたらどろぼうとおもえ

When you see a stranger, think of him as a thief

Don't trust strangers too easily

人は見かけによらぬもの

ひとはみかけによらぬもの

You cannot judge a person by appearance

Don't judge a book by its cover

Poetry

和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

わが庵は 都のたつみ しかぞすむ 世をうぢ山と 人はいふなり

My hut lies southeast of the capital and here I live content, yet people call it Mount Uji, the hill of gloom.

喜撰法師Kisen Hōshi
9th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

わたの原 八十島かけて 漕ぎ出でぬと 人には告げよ あまのつり舟

Tell them for me, fishing boats: that I have rowed out across the wide sea, past the eighty islands.

参議篁Sangi Takamura
9th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

住の江の 岸による波 よるさへや 夢の通ひ路 人めよくらむ

Waves draw to the shore at Suminoe. Must you too, even by night, avoid others' eyes on the path of dreams?

藤原敏行朝臣Fujiwara no Toshiyuki
9th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

名にしおはば 逢坂山の さねかづら 人に知られで くるよしもがな

If it lives up to its name — the vine of Mount Osaka, the hill of meeting — let it bring you to me unseen.

三条右大臣Sanjō no Udaijin
10th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

山里は 冬ぞさびしさ まさりける 人めも草も かれぬと思へば

A mountain village is loneliest in winter, when I think how both the visitors and the grasses have gone.

源宗于朝臣Minamoto no Muneyuki
10th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

誰をかも 知る人にせむ 高砂の 松も昔の 友ならなくに

Whom shall I take now as a friend? Even the ancient pine of Takasago is no friend from the old days.

藤原興風Fujiwara no Okikaze
10th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

人はいさ 心も知らず ふるさとは 花ぞ昔の 香に匂ひける

As for people, I cannot know their hearts — but in my old village the blossoms are fragrant as they always were.

紀貫之Ki no Tsurayuki
10th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

忘らるる 身をば思はず 誓ひてし 人のいのちの 惜しくもあるかな

It is not myself, forgotten, that I grieve for, but the life of the one who swore to me and broke the oath.

右近Ukon
10th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

浅茅生の 小野の篠原 しのぶれど あまりてなどか 人の恋しき

Like bamboo grass on the sparse-reeded moor I hide it, and still — why does my longing for her overflow?

参議等Sangi Hitoshi
10th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

しのぶれど 色に出でにけり わが恋は 物や思ふと 人の問ふまで

I hid it, and yet it has shown in my face; my love, until people ask me what is on my mind.

平兼盛Taira no Kanemori
10th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

恋すてふ わが名はまだき 立ちにけり 人知れずこそ 思ひ初めしか

Rumour that I am in love has gone around already, and I had only just begun to feel it, in secret.

壬生忠見Mibu no Tadami
10th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

あふことの たえてしなくは なかなかに 人をも身をも 恨みざらまし

If we had never met at all, I would not now resent her — nor resent myself.

中納言朝忠Chūnagon Asatada
10th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

あはれとも いふべき人は 思ほえで 身のいたづらに なりぬべきかな

I can think of no one who would say they pity me, and so it seems I must simply waste away.

謙徳公Kentoku Kō
10th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

由良のとを 渡る舟人 かぢを絶え ゆくへも知らぬ 恋の道かな

Like a boatman crossing the Strait of Yura who has lost his oar — this path of love, with no knowing where it leads.

曾禰好忠曾禰好忠
Unknown
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

八重むぐら しげれる宿の さびしきに 人こそ見えね 秋は来にけり

To this lonely house, overgrown with layered weeds, no one comes. Yet autumn has come.

恵慶法師Ekyō Hōshi
10th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

ありま山 ゐなの笹原 風吹けば いでそよ人を 忘れやはする

When the wind blows through the bamboo grass of Ina, below Mount Arima — well then, could I ever forget you?

大弐三位Daini no Sanmi
11th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

今はただ 思ひ絶えなむ とばかりを 人づてならで 言ふよしもがな

Now there is only this to say — that I give you up — and I wish I could say it myself, not through another.

左京大夫道雅Sakyō no Daibu Michimasa
11th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

もろともに あはれと思へ 山桜 花よりほかに 知る人もなし

Mountain cherry, feel for me as I feel for you. Here there is no one who knows me but your blossoms.

前大僧正行尊Saki no Daisōjō Gyōson
11th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

憂かりける 人を初瀬の 山おろしよ はげしかれとは 祈らぬものを

Wind off the mountains of Hatsuse, I prayed that she might soften toward me, not that you should blow so fiercely.

源俊頼朝臣源俊頼朝臣
Unknown
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

わが袖は 潮干に見えぬ 沖の石の 人こそ知らね 乾くまもなし

My sleeves are the offshore rock that never shows even at low tide: unknown to anyone, never dry for a moment.

二条院讃岐Nijōin no Sanuki
12th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

こぬ人を まつほの浦の 夕なぎに 焼くやもしほの 身もこがれつつ

Waiting for one who does not come, in the evening calm at Matsuho Bay — like seaweed burned for salt, I am scorched through.

権中納言定家Gon-Chūnagon Teika
13th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

人もをし 人も恨めし あぢきなく 世を思ふゆゑに 物思ふ身は

I find people dear, and I resent them, because I think this world a bitter, pointless place and brood on it.

後鳥羽院Emperor Go-Toba
13th century

Anime & Manga

亜人

Ajin: Demi-Human

anime/manga

Suspense action themed on 'demi-humans' who cannot die.

進撃の巨人

Attack on Titan

Anime

A well-known work with 人 in its Japanese title.

その着せ替え人形は恋をする

My Dress-Up Darling

Anime

A well-known work with 人 in its Japanese title.

僕のヒーローアカデミア THE MOVIE 〜2人の英雄〜

My Hero Academia: Two Heroes

Anime

A well-known work with 人 in its Japanese title.

山田くんと7人の魔女

Yamada and the Seven Witches

Anime

A well-known work with 人 in its Japanese title.

Games

ペルソナ

Persona(1996)

PlayStation

Developer: Atlus

RPG fighting by summoning Personas from within 'human' hearts.

View on Amazon →

Related Figures & Stories

柿本人麻呂

Kakinomoto no Hitomaro662–710

Name contains 人

Kakinomoto no Hitomaro çi̥.to.ma.ɾo], c. 653–655 – c.

Wikipedia

周作人

Zhou Zuoren1885–1967

Name contains 人

Zhou Zuoren was a Chinese writer and translator.

Wikipedia

山部赤人

Yamabe no Akahito

Name contains 人

Yamabe no Akahito was a poet of the Nara period in Japan.

Wikipedia

大伴旅人

Ōtomo no Tabito665–731

Name contains 人

Ōtomo no Tabito was a Japanese court noble, military leader and poet.

Wikipedia

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 人 mean in Japanese?

人 means person.

How do you read 人?

On'yomi: ジン、ニン (JIN, NIN). Kun'yomi: ひと、-り、-と (hito, ri, to).

How many strokes does 人 have?

人 has 2 strokes. Its radical is 人 (person).

Is 人 a good kanji for a tattoo?

人 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means person. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.

Explore by meaning:person