人们

• Pinyin: rén men
• Hanzi breakdown: 人 = pictograph of a standing person; 们 = 亻(person) + 门 (door, phonetic component)

Meaning

People; the public; folks. A general term for people as a group.

Used to refer to people in general, not specific individuals. Common in written Chinese and somewhat formal speech. Unlike 大家 (everyone, more personal), 人们 is more impersonal and often used in news, essays, and general statements about society.

Examples

1. 人们都喜欢在公园里散步。 People like to take walks in the park.
2. 春节的时候，人们会放烟花。 During Chinese New Year, people set off fireworks.
3. 人们常常在网上买东西。 People often buy things online.

Usage Guide

Context: general statements, written Chinese, news

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 人们越来越关注健康。(People are paying more and more attention to health.)
• 人们都希望生活幸福。(People all hope for a happy life.)

Don't Say

• 不要用人们来指你认识的人 (Don't use 人们 for people you know personally — it's impersonal; use 大家 or call them by name)

Origin & History

人 (rén, person) + 们 (men, plural suffix). The suffix 们 marks plurality for pronouns and sometimes nouns referring to people.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal