人民

• 拼音: rén mín
• 汉字拆解: 人 = pictograph of a standing person; 民 = pictograph of a person with downcast eyes, representing the common people

含义

The people; citizens; the populace. A formal term for the citizens of a nation collectively.

A formal and political term used frequently in government, law, and news. Appears in many official terms: 人民政府 (people's government), 人民法院 (people's court), 人民币 (the people's currency). More formal than 老百姓 (common folk) and carries a civic or political tone. Very common in Chinese public discourse.

例句

1. 人民的利益是最重要的。
2. 这座大桥是人民用双手建造的。
3. 他一辈子都在为人民服务。

用法指南

语境: government, news, politics, patriotism

语气: solemn

正确说法

• 为人民服务是我们的职责。(Serving the people is our duty.)
• 人民的生活水平不断提高。(The people's standard of living keeps improving.)

错误说法

• 我和几个人民去吃饭了。(Never use 人民 for a few individual people — it's a collective political term. Say 我和几个朋友 or 几个人.)

起源与历史

人 means person; 民 means the populace or common people (originally depicted people with eyes cast downward — the masses, as opposed to rulers). Together they form a term for the collective citizenry.

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal