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人民 (rén mín) — the people

Definition

人民 means 'the people' as a political collective (a nation or state's citizenry). It is broader and more formal than 民众 or 群众, which usually mean 'the masses / populace' in political contexts.

noun
the people
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 人民。
    rén mín De shēng huó shuǐ píng tí gāo le.
    The people's living standards have improved.
  • 人民。
    Zhèng fǔ yīng gāi tīng qǔ rén mín de yì jiàn.
    The government should listen to the people's opinions.
  • 人民。
    rén mín Yǒu quán lì xuǎn zé zì jǐ de lǐng dǎo rén.
    The people have the right to choose their own leaders.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

人rénperson
民mínpeople

人 and 民 both mean people, so together they name the populace.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

Open 人 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The early form of 民 shows an eye pierced by a sharp cross-shaped implement, possibly linked to an injured or unclear eye.

Open 民 →
Appears in
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