农民

• Pinyin: nóng mín
• Hanzi breakdown: 农 = simplified from a character showing hands working the field; 民 = pictograph originally depicting common people

Meaning

Farmer; peasant. A person who works in agriculture.

The standard term for people whose livelihood comes from farming. In China, 农民 also has a social-class dimension, as the rural-urban divide (户口 system) historically separated farmers from city dwellers. Used neutrally in most contexts, though it can carry condescending overtones if used to mock someone's background.

Examples

1. 我爷爷是农民，种了一辈子地。 My grandfather is a farmer who has been working the land his whole life.
2. 农民们秋天忙着收粮食。 The farmers are busy harvesting grain in autumn.
3. 政府出台了很多帮助农民的政策。 The government has introduced many policies to help farmers.

Usage Guide

Context: agriculture, society, news

Tone: respectful

Do Say

• 农民的工作很辛苦。(Farmers' work is very hard.)
• 中国有很多农民。(China has many farmers.)

Don't Say

• 你穿得像个农民。(Never use 农民 to insult someone's appearance — it is disrespectful to both the person and to farmers as a group.)

Origin & History

农 means agriculture (hands working the field); 民 means people or citizens. Together: agricultural people — farmers.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal