Looking up...
A human being; a person; an individual.
人間は社会的な動物である。
Humans are social animals.
彼は人間的に信頼できる人だ。
He is a trustworthy person.
Human nature; humanity; human qualities.
彼の行動は人間の弱さを示している。
His actions show human weakness.
Often used in philosophical or ethical contexts.
Common sense; decency; basic human behavior.
そんなことするなんて人間としてどうかと思う。
I think it’s beneath human dignity to do such a thing.
Used to criticize behavior that lacks basic decency.
人間 is often translated as "human" or "person," but avoid using "human being" in contexts where it sounds unnatural. For example, "彼は人間だ" should be translated as "He is a human" only in very technical or philosophical contexts. In most cases, "He is a person" or "He is human" sounds more natural.
人間 is commonly used in discussions about human nature, ethics, or society. For example: 「人間の尊厳」 (human dignity) or 「人間の条件」 (the human condition).
In everyday speech, 人 is more commonly used to refer to people. For example: 「あの人は誰ですか？」 (Who is that person?). 人間 is more formal and less commonly used in casual conversation.
From Middle Chinese 人間 (nyin gian, “human world; human society”), from Old Chinese 人 (*njin, “person”) + 間 (*krɯːns, “space between; interval”). The modern sense of “human being” emerged in Japanese and was later borrowed back into Chinese.
人間 is a formal term for a human being, often used in philosophical, ethical, or general contexts. It can imply a sense of humanity or human nature, especially in contrast to animals or machines. In informal contexts, it can also refer to common decency or basic human behavior.