人群

• Pinyin: rén qún
• Hanzi breakdown: 人 = pictograph of a person; 群 = 君 (lord, phonetic) + 羊 (sheep), originally a flock — extended to mean any group

Meaning

Crowd; group of people. Refers to a gathering or mass of people in one place.

Used to describe any collection of people, from a small group to a large crowd. Common in news, descriptions of public places, and everyday conversation. Can be used neutrally or to imply density and noise. Often paired with verbs like 挤 (squeeze through) or 走进 (walk into).

Examples

1. 广场上有很多人群在等着看表演。 There are many crowds in the square waiting to watch the performance.
2. 他在人群中找了半天才找到朋友。 He searched through the crowd for a long time before finding his friend.
3. 下班的时候，地铁站里到处都是人群。 During rush hour, the subway station is full of crowds everywhere.

Usage Guide

Context: public places, news, descriptions

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 人群慢慢散开了。(The crowd gradually dispersed.)
• 她害怕站在人群中间。(She's afraid of standing in the middle of a crowd.)

Don't Say

• 我们三个人是一个人群。(Don't use 人群 for just a few people — it implies a sizable gathering. For a small group, use 一群人 or 几个人.)

Origin & History

人 means person; 群 means group or flock (from 君 lord + 羊 sheep, originally a flock under a shepherd). Together: a group of people.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal