群众

• Pinyin: qún zhòng
• Hanzi breakdown: 群 = 君 + 羊, group; 众 = three 人, multitude/masses

Meaning

The masses; the public; ordinary people. Common people as distinguished from leadership.

Political term: 人民群众 (the people), 群众路线 (mass line), 群众意见 (public opinion). Also: 围观群众 (onlookers). Implies regular citizens vs. officials or specialists.

Examples

1. 政策要符合群众的利益。 Policies must align with the interests of the masses.
2. 群众对这项改革的反应很积极。 The public's response to this reform has been very positive.
3. 领导干部要深入群众了解情况。 Leading cadres should go among the people to understand the situation.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, governance, media

Tone: official

Do Say

• 群众的眼睛是雪亮的。(The masses have sharp eyes — truth will out.)
• 倾听群众的声音。(Listen to the voice of the people.)

Don't Say

• 我是群众。(While grammatically possible, sounds odd in casual speech — use 普通人 or 老百姓)

Origin & History

群 (qún, group) + 众 (zhòng, multitude). The multitude of common people.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal