人物

• Reading: じんぶつ
• Romaji: jinbutsu
• Kanji breakdown: 人 (jin) — person, human; 物 (butsu) — thing, object
• Pronunciation: /dʑiɴ.bɯ.tsɯ/

Meaning

Person; character; figure. A person of note, or someone's character and personality.

A noun with two main uses: referring to a notable or important person (歴史的人物 — historical figure), and describing someone's character or personality (人物像 — character portrait). Also used in art and literature contexts for characters in stories or subjects of portraits. More formal than 人.

Examples

1. 歴史上の有名な人物について調べた。 I researched famous figures in history.
2. 彼は信頼できる人物だ。 He is a trustworthy person.
3. この小説の主要人物は三人いる。 There are three main characters in this novel.

Usage Guide

Context: history, literature, character assessment

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 人 (person, human) and 物 (thing, object). The combination elevates the concept from a simple person to a person of substance or character, implying someone worthy of attention.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal