TongTong
Sign in

野人 (yě rén) — savage, primitive person (often in folklore); rustic, country person (can be derogatory or neutral)

Definition

Literally 'wild person,' used in folklore for a legendary 'wild man' (like a sasquatch or yeren) and also as a rough term for an uncouth, country bumpkin.

noun
savageprimitive person (often in folklore)rusticcountry person (can be derogatory or neutral)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 野人。
    Guān yú yě rén de chuán shuō zài shēn shān lǐ liú chuán hěn guǎng.
    Legends about the wild man are widely spread in the deep mountains.
  • ，野人。
    Tā chuān zhuó pò jiù de yī fu, xiàng gè yě rén yí yàng.
    He wore ragged clothes, like a savage.
  • 野人，。
    Nà ge yě rén dú zì zhù zài shān lǐ, bù yǔ wài rén lái wǎng.
    That rustic person lives alone in the mountains and doesn't interact with outsiders.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

野yěwild
人rénperson

野 wild 人 person means a savage or rustic person.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
田田tiánfield
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
予
予yǔ野yě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

野 combines 田 (field) above 土 (earth) to show open country, with 予 giving the sound.

Open 野 →

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 →
Appears in
People (General)

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.