hito
nounBeginner
formalinformal

person; human being

彼は優しい人です。

He is a kind person.

この町には多くの人が住んでいます。

Many people live in this town.

💡

Can refer to a specific individual or people in general.

informal

someone; a certain person

誰かがドアをノックしました。

Someone knocked on the door.

💡

Often used with question words like 誰 (dare) or 何人 (nanin).

Collocations

一人one person; alone二人two people人々people (plural)

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

人生phrase
life
人気phrase
popularity

💡Pro Tip

Counter Usage

人 can be used as a counter for people, e.g., 一人 (hitori) for 'one person'.

Gold Rule

Politeness

When referring to others, it's often polite to use more specific terms like 方 (kata) or 様 (sama) instead of 人.

📖Word Origin

The kanji 人 is one of the oldest and simplest kanji, originally representing a person standing upright. It is a pictograph that has remained largely unchanged since ancient times.

📝Usage Notes

Can be used as a counter for people (e.g., 三人 for 'three people').

Word Breakdown

person
root
和英辞典