人材

• Reading: じんざい
• Romaji: jinzai
• Kanji breakdown: 人 (jin) — person, human; 材 (zai) — material, talent, ability
• Pronunciation: /dʑiɴ.zai/

Meaning

Talented person; capable individual; human resources; personnel.

A noun referring to people of talent and ability, especially in a professional context. Used both for individuals (優秀な人材, excellent talent) and collectively for a workforce. Extremely common in business Japanese, HR discussions, and job advertisements. Related terms include 人材育成 (talent development) and 人材派遣 (staffing/temp agency).

Examples

1. グローバルな人材を育成するプログラムを導入した。 A program to develop globally minded talent was introduced.
2. IT業界では優秀な人材の確保が課題だ。 Securing top talent is a challenge in the IT industry.
3. 人材不足が深刻な問題になっている。 The shortage of skilled workers has become a serious problem.

Usage Guide

Context: business, HR, recruitment, education

Tone: professional

Origin & History

Compound of 人 (jin, person) + 材 (zai, material/talent). Literally 'human material,' viewing people as valuable resources. Sometimes written as 人財 (using 財, treasure) to emphasise that people are assets, not mere resources.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Working age

Social background: Professional