人类

• Pinyin: rén lèi
• Hanzi breakdown: 人 = pictograph of a standing person; 类 = 米 (rice/grain) + 大 (big) + 犬 (dog), simplified from 類, meaning category or kind

Meaning

Humankind; humanity; the human race. Refers to all human beings collectively.

Used in discussions about the species as a whole — 人类历史 (human history), 人类文明 (human civilisation), 人类社会 (human society). Common in scientific, philosophical, and global-issues contexts. More formal and encompassing than 人 (person/people). Often used when contrasting humans with nature or other species.

Examples

1. 保护环境是人类共同的责任。 Protecting the environment is a shared responsibility of all humankind.
2. 人类已经在地球上生活了几百万年。 Humans have lived on Earth for millions of years.
3. 科学技术极大地改变了人类的生活。 Science and technology have greatly changed human life.

Usage Guide

Context: science, philosophy, environment, history

Tone: grand

Do Say

• 这是人类的一大进步。(This is a great step forward for humankind.)
• 人类的未来掌握在我们手中。(Humanity's future is in our hands.)

Don't Say

• 我在公交车上看到很多人类。(Don't use 人类 for people you see on the bus — it sounds clinical, as if observing a species. Just say 人.)

Origin & History

人 means person; 类 means category or kind. Together they mean 'the human category' — all beings classified as human, the entire species.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal