n.
A side-view pictograph of a human figure standing with two legs. A person, people, the human race, or the general public.
人
Common Usage & Traps
- 中国人 — Chinese person / Chinese people
- 一个人 — one person
- 三个人 — three people
- 很多人 — many people
- 超市的人 — the supermarket staff / the person at the supermarket
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我是中国我是中国人Missing 人. 中国 is the country; 中国人 is the person. 我是中国 sounds incomplete or like 'I am China.'
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三人三个人In everyday spoken Chinese, counting people needs 个. 三人 sounds formal or written, like a headline.
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三个人们三个人Do not add 们 after an exact number. The number already makes it plural.
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很多的人很多人很多 goes directly before 人 in normal speech. 很多的人 sounds like a stiff translation.
Can you say 我是中国 to mean 'I am Chinese'?
No. 我是中国 misses the person; say 我是中国人.
Chinese nationality words end in 人. 中国 is the country, 中国人 is the person from that country. If you stop at 我是中国, it sounds like 'I am China' or just incomplete. Use 人 after the country.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Talking about country | 我是中国人。 | 我是中国。 |
| Asking nationality | 你是中国人吗？ | 你是中国吗？ |
Can you just say 三人 when you mean three people in everyday speech?
In daily speech, say 三个人. 三人 sounds formal or written.
Counting people normally needs the counting word 个. 三个人 is the street-native form. 三人 is not a grammar crime, but it sounds like a headline, poem, or formal sign. Also do not add 们 after a number: 三个人们 is wrong.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Daily counting | 三个人 | 三人 |
| After a number | 三个人 | 三个人们 |
Do you need 的 in 很多人, or is 很多的人 okay?
很多人 is the natural everyday phrase; 很多的人 is stiff and foreign-sounding.
很多 can sit directly in front of 人. Adding 的 makes the phrase feel like a translated English phrase. Use 很多人 in texts, signs, and normal speech. If you mean a specific group, often you name the group: 很多中国人, 很多学生.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday quantity | 很多人 | 很多的人 |
| In a sentence | 很多人喜欢咖啡。 | 很多的人喜欢咖啡。 |
What does 超市的人 mean in 我问超市的人那三个苹果是哪里的？
It means the supermarket staff, not a 'supermarket person' nationality.
After a place, 的人 points to the person tied to that place. 超市的人 means the staff or the person working there. It is different from 中国人, where 人 makes a nationality. Context tells you which meaning fits.
“我问超市的人那三个苹果是哪里的？” (I asked the supermarket staff where those three apples were from.)
“我问超市的人那三个苹果是哪里的？” (I asked the supermarket staff where those three apples were from.)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Place staff | 超市的人 | 超市 |
| Nationality | 中国人 | 中国 |
Appears in Stories 17 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
In this easy story, you will follow a simple trip to the supermarket to buy apples. Practice numbers, question words, and nationalities in a real-life shopping context.
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我问超市的 人 那三个苹果是哪里的？
This short, simple story follows a shopper's trip to the supermarket to buy apples. You'll learn useful vocabulary for shopping, prices, and comparing things.
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我问超市的 人 小苹果怎么样？
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我问超市的 人 那两个苹果是哪里的？
This rhythmic poem helps you practice numbers from one to ten and larger units. Listen to the beat and count along!
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十亿 人 ，年月日。
Learn the fascinating story behind the Chinese idiom '东山再起' (Dongshan Zaiji), which means to make a comeback. Discover its historical roots and modern usage.
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有个叫谢安的 人 ，很有才华，也很有名气。
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最厉害的是，他在淝水之战中指挥东晋军队，以八万 人 打败了号称百万的前秦军队，保住了自己的国家。
This simple HSK 2 story introduces a warm family of six. Follow Little Bao and his British wife as they raise their two green-eyed children, each with their own personality.
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包先生 人 很好。
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他们 人 都很好。
Follow Xiao Li as he copes with the effects of forest fires near his home in the US and reflects on environmental changes. A thoughtful story for HSK 4 learners.
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因为风把烟吹到城里，空气变得非常差，很多 人 开始咳嗽，小李也是其中一个。
Meet Gao Youpeng, a friendly Beijing coworker who welcomes the narrator with local dishes and a simple language-exchange plan. This warm HSK 2 story is perfect for first readings about work and friendship.
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高友朋是一个非常好的 人 。
Follow a traveler's unexpected hospital stay in China, where counting days and costs becomes practical learning. Practice numbers, dates, food prices, and simple descriptions of a doctor and room.
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休息两星期，七天住医院医生 人 很好，房间大漂亮。
Join a family on a sweltering Beijing Sunday as a boy learns a funny lesson about playing outside in the summer heat. Perfect for HSK 1 learners.
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“今天你们学校没有 人 呀？”
Why would a millionaire leave a table of lobster and wagyu untouched? This story explores the hidden rules of business dining and the true cost of staying alert.
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旁边的 人 都在给他敬酒，他每次都端起来酒杯，嘴唇沾沾杯沿就放下。
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可他一开口，整桌 人 都停下来听。
Think instant noodles are unhealthy? This HSK 6 article challenges common myths and reveals surprising facts about nutrition, oil, and salt in this convenient food.
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对方便面，很多 人 都有各种各样的消极的印象，比如没有营养、有毒，油、盐含量高等等。
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误会一：方便面有毒很多 人 想当然认为，方便面保质期很长，不会坏，原因一定是因为里面“有东西”，有毒！
Ever wondered where old Beijing's tea-drinking culture has gone? Follow a visitor discovering why locals now avoid famous tea houses—and practice expressing surprise and comparisons in Chinese along the way.
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可现在的茶馆虽然还是可以喝茶，但是去那儿的 人 大多不是老北京。
Is four years to reach HSK 5 fast or slow? Follow a conversation between two learners as they compare study hours and share realistic strategies for busy adults.
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人 太多，我很少真的说汉语，所以这个“汉语课”很没意思。
Discover how a simple letter from a cookie seller led to an unexpected friendship with a famous scholar. This heartwarming story explores kindness and connection across social divides.
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他除了做饼干、卖饼干，还爱读一点书，喜欢与 人 讨论政治制度。
Read this short story about people waiting in the rain for a new phone. You will practice numbers, time, and everyday vocabulary.
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苹果商店外边 人 很多，一半儿是北京大学的大学生。
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明天苹果十九出来了，大家都想做第一个买到苹果十九的 人 。
Join a shopper on a quick trip to the store. You'll learn simple words for shopping and feelings in this easy-to-follow story.
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商店 人 很多。
Read about a work trip to Beijing where a group of colleagues takes a very large airplane. Practice weather words and actions in a simple travel story.
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上个星期，我们公司的六个 人 去北京开会。
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我们坐的飞机很大，是五百 人 的大飞机。
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