農民

• Reading: のうみん
• Romaji: noumin
• Kanji breakdown: 農 (nou) — agriculture; 民 (min) — people, citizens
• Pronunciation: /noː.miɴ/

Meaning

Farmers; peasants; people who work the land.

A noun with a slightly more historical or collective nuance than 農家. Often used when discussing farming communities as a social class, particularly in historical contexts such as the Edo period class system (士農工商). In modern usage it can sound somewhat formal or literary. Related: 農民運動 (noumin undou, farmers' movement), 農民一揆 (noumin ikki, peasant uprising).

Examples

1. 江戸時代の農民は厳しい生活を送っていた。 Farmers in the Edo period lived harsh lives.
2. 農民たちが協力して新しい水路を作った。 The farmers worked together to build a new irrigation canal.
3. この映画は農民の暮らしをリアルに描いている。 This film realistically depicts the lives of farmers.

Usage Guide

Context: history, social class, agriculture

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 農 (nou, agriculture) and 民 (min, people). Literally 'agriculture people,' emphasising the human community aspect of farming.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Agricultural class