众人

• Pinyin: zhòng rén
• Hanzi breakdown: 众 = three 人 stacked (many people); 人 = person

Meaning

Everyone; all the people present; the crowd. The collective group of people in a situation.

Literary and formal alternative to 大家. Used in idioms: 众人拾柴火焰高 (many hands make light work), 众人皆知 (known to all). Creates a sense of community or social pressure.

Examples

1. 他在众人面前发表了激动人心的演讲。 He delivered an inspiring speech in front of everyone.
2. 众人拾柴火焰高，团队合作的力量不可小觑。 Many hands make light work; the power of teamwork should never be underestimated.
3. 他的举动引来了众人的侧目和议论。 His actions drew people’s sideways glances and gossip.

Usage Guide

Context: speeches, narratives, idioms

Tone: elevated

Do Say

• 在众人的注视下，她从容不迫地走上了领奖台。(Under everyone's gaze, she calmly walked onto the award podium.)
• 众人的智慧汇聚在一起，问题很快就得到了解决。(When everyone's wisdom came together, the problem was quickly solved.)

Don't Say

• 众人好 — awkward; use 大家好 for greetings; 众人 is not used for direct address

Origin & History

众 (multitude) + 人 (people)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal