Basic Meaning and Usage
The character "人" (rén) primarily means "person" or "people." It is one of the most fundamental and frequently used characters in Chinese, referring to an individual human or people collectively. It can be used in both singular and plural contexts depending on the sentence.
Common Collocations and Patterns
These collocations are very common in daily conversation and writing. "人" can also be combined with other characters to form words related to people, such as "人口" (population) or "人类" (humanity).
Usage Notes
When using "人," it often appears after a number or demonstrative to specify quantity or identity. It can also be used to describe someone's character, as in "好的人" (good person). Avoid confusing "人" with similar-sounding words that have different meanings. The tone is second (rén), and it is important to pronounce it clearly to avoid misunderstandings.