小人

• Pinyin: xiǎo rén
• Hanzi breakdown: 小 = small/petty; 人 = pictograph of a standing person — a person of petty, base character

Meaning

A petty, morally base person; a villain or schemer of low character.

In classical Confucian philosophy, 小人 is the opposite of 君子 (a gentleman of virtue). The 小人 prioritises self-interest, acts deceptively, and lacks moral principles. In modern usage, it refers to someone who is devious, treacherous, or sycophantic. The term carries strong moral condemnation.

Examples

1. 古人常以君子与小人的对比来阐明道德修养的重要性。 In ancient times, people often explained the importance of moral self-cultivation by contrasting a gentleman with a petty person.
2. 他在背后散布谣言、挑拨离间，是个不折不扣的小人。 He spreads rumors behind people’s backs and sows discord—he’s a petty schemer through and through.
3. 君子坦荡荡，小人长戚戚，这句话道出了两种截然不同的处世境界。 “A gentleman is open and at ease; a petty person is always anxious”—this saying captures two completely different ways of facing the world.

Usage Guide

Context: ethics, literature, Confucianism, criticism

Tone: derogatory

Do Say

• 论语中，孔子多次以小人比照君子，以此阐释儒家的道德理想和行为规范。(In the Analects, Confucius repeatedly contrasts 小人 with 君子 to elucidate Confucian moral ideals and standards of conduct.)
• 此人惯于阿谀奉承、背后中伤，同僚们私下都称他为小人，对他极为不信任。(This person is given to flattery and back-stabbing — colleagues privately call him a schemer and regard him with deep distrust.)

Don't Say

• 这个小人很可爱 — when applied to a real adult, 小人 is a serious moral insult; use it only in Confucian philosophical contexts or to unambiguously condemn someone's character

Origin & History

小 (small/petty) + 人 (person) — a person of small, petty character; classical Confucian antonym of 君子

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal