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人
hito
person
この人は誰ですか。
Who is this person?
formal
A human being; an individual.
この人たちは学生です。
These people are students.
彼のような人は珍しい。
A person like him is rare.
Used to refer to a specific individual or people in general.
formal
A person regarded as having a particular quality or role (e.g., a worker, expert, or member of a group).
彼は優秀な人です。
He is an excellent person.
この分野の人は少ない。
There are few people in this field.
Often used in compound words to denote a profession or role (e.g., 医者の人 'a doctor', 先生の人 'a teacher').
formal
A person regarded as a social or moral being (emphasizing humanity or character).
彼は立派な人です。
He is a fine person.
Used to describe someone's character or moral standing.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Distinguishing 人 and 者
人 is more general and can refer to any person, while 者 is often used in formal or written contexts to refer to a specific person in a role (e.g., 研究者 'researcher').
Gold Rule
Using 人 in questions
When asking about a person, use 誰 (だれ) with 人 (e.g., この人は誰ですか 'Who is this person?').
Word Origin
From Old Japanese *pi1to (人), ultimately from Proto-Japonic *pi1tu. The kanji 人 is derived from Chinese 人 (rén), meaning 'person' or 'human being', and was adopted into Japanese during the adoption of Chinese characters (kanji).
Usage Notes
人 is the most basic and common word for 'person' in Japanese. It is used in a wide range of contexts, from casual to formal. Unlike English, it can refer to both specific individuals and people in general. In compound words, it often denotes a profession, role, or group (e.g., 会社の人 'company employee', 近所の人 'neighbor').
Word Breakdown
人
person
root和英辞典