人情

• Pinyin: rén qíng
• Hanzi breakdown: 人 = 人 (person); 情 = 忄+ 青 (heart radical + blue/green/young — a feeling in the heart)

Meaning

Human feelings; interpersonal obligations; social favours exchanged between people. Refers to the web of reciprocal goodwill and debt that structures relationships in Chinese society.

Core concept in Chinese social culture: 人情往来 (reciprocal social exchanges), 送人情 (doing someone a favour), 欠人情 (owe a social debt), 人情世故 (understanding social norms). Distinct from 感情 (emotional feelings) — 人情 carries an explicit sense of obligation and reciprocity.

Examples

1. 在中国传统社会中，人情往来是维系家族和社区关系的重要纽带，婚丧嫁娶皆少不了礼尚往来。 In traditional Chinese society, exchanging favors and courtesies is an important bond that holds families and communities together; weddings and funerals alike rely on reciprocal gift-giving.
2. 他为老友托关系办事，欠下了不少人情，如今对方上门求助，他自然义不容辞地伸出援手。 He used connections to help an old friend get things done and ended up owing many favors; now that the other person has come to ask for help, he naturally feels obligated to lend a hand.
3. 现代都市生活节奏加快，许多年轻人虽感人情往来耗时费力，却深知人情账不可轻易荒废。 As the pace of modern city life speeds up, many young people feel that social obligations are time-consuming and exhausting, yet they know you can’t easily let your favor accounts go stale.

Usage Guide

Context: social culture, relationships, ethics, daily life

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 他这次帮忙完全是出于人情，并非因为自己有利可图，这种不计得失的古道热肠令周围人颇为感动。(His assistance this time was entirely out of a sense of personal obligation — not because he stood to gain anything — and his selfless warmth moved those around him greatly.)
• 法院判决时明确指出，无论双方之间存在多少人情因素，司法程序必须严格依法执行，不能以情代法。(The court ruling explicitly stated that regardless of the personal connections between the two parties, judicial proceedings must be carried out strictly in accordance with the law — sentiment cannot substitute for justice.)

Don't Say

• 我有人情给你 — use 我欠你一个人情 or 我要还你人情; 人情 is owed or repaid, not 'given' in this phrasing

Origin & History

人 (person) + 情 (feeling/sentiment/situation) — the feelings and obligations that flow between people

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal