私人

• Pinyin: sī rén
• Hanzi breakdown: 私 = 禾 (grain) + 厶 (private), private affairs; 人 = pictograph of a person

Meaning

Private; personal. Belonging to an individual rather than the public.

Used to describe things that are private or personal, as opposed to public or official. Common collocations include 私人时间 (personal time), 私人空间 (private space), 私人企业 (private enterprise), and 私人物品 (personal belongings).

Examples

1. 这是我的私人物品，请不要随便翻动。 These are my personal belongings — please don't go through them.
2. 周末是我的私人时间，一般不处理工作上的事。 Weekends are my personal time — I generally don't handle work matters.
3. 他经营着一家私人诊所，生意还不错。 He runs a private clinic, and business is pretty good.

Usage Guide

Context: work, social, business

Tone: boundary-setting

Do Say

• 这是私人问题，不方便回答。(This is a private matter — I'd rather not answer.)
• 他有一架私人飞机。(He has a private plane.)

Don't Say

• 私人的朋友 — for personal friends, just say 朋友 or 私交; 私人 is used with objects and affairs, not people

Origin & History

Compound of 私 (private/personal) + 人 (person), meaning belonging to a private person.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal