巨人

• Pinyin: jù rén
• Hanzi breakdown: 巨 = 工 + 乚 (enormous); 人 = person

Meaning

Giant; titan. A person of extraordinary physical size, immense power, or towering achievement; also a giant in mythology or legend.

Used both literally (a person of extraordinary physical stature) and figuratively (a titan of a field or industry). In Chinese cultural and historical discourse, 巨人 often denotes figures of profound and lasting influence.

Examples

1. 他站在人群中如同一位巨人，令四周众人不由自主地侧目。 Standing in the crowd, he was like a giant, and people around him couldn’t help but glance his way.
2. 爱因斯坦是二十世纪物理学界当之无愧的思想巨人，彻底改变了人类对宇宙的认知。 Einstein was a true intellectual giant of twentieth-century physics, fundamentally changing how humanity understands the universe.
3. 文学巨人鲁迅的作品历经百年，至今仍对中国文化与思想产生深远的影响。 The literary giant Lu Xun’s works have endured for a century and still profoundly influence Chinese culture and thought today.

Usage Guide

Context: history, achievement, culture

Tone: admiring

Do Say

• 他是商业世界中公认的巨人，旗下企业版图遍布全球各大洲。(He is a widely recognised giant in the business world, with his corporate empire spanning every continent.)
• 这部史诗小说塑造了一位在逆境与苦难中成长为巨人的英雄形象。(This epic novel portrays the image of a hero who grows into a giant through adversity and hardship.)

Don't Say

• 他是个很高的巨人 — 巨人 already implies extraordinary stature; 很高 is redundant; say 他是个巨人 or 他身材极为高大 for physical description

Origin & History

巨 (enormous) + 人 (person/human)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal