人
| Property |
Value |
| Meaning |
person |
| Strokes |
2 |
| JLPT Level |
N5 |
| On-reading (音読み) |
ジン、ニン |
| Kun-reading (訓読み) |
ひと |
| Radical |
人 (にんべん / hito) [U+4EBA] |
Stroke Order
The character 人 follows the basic rule of top-to-bottom and left-to-right.
- Stroke 1: A downward diagonal stroke starting from the top center, moving to the left.
- Stroke 2: A downward stroke starting from the middle of the first stroke, curving slightly to the right.
Note: Ensure the first stroke is slightly shorter and more slanted, while the second stroke provides the "support" or balance to the character.
Radical Analysis
The kanji 人 is a pictograph representing a person standing upright.
- Radical: It is its own radical. When used as a component on the left side of other kanji, it changes shape to 亻 (called ninben), which signifies that the character relates to human actions, roles, or states.
Mnemonic
Imagine a person standing sideways. The first stroke is their back, and the second stroke is their legs, as if they are walking forward. Alternatively, think of it as a person leaning on a cane for support.
On-readings (音読み) with Examples
ジン (Jin)
| Word |
Reading |
Romaji |
English |
| 日本人 |
にほんじん |
Nihon-jin |
Japanese person |
| 外国人 |
がいこくじん |
Gaikoku-jin |
Foreigner |
| 人口 |
じんこう |
Jinkou |
Population |
ニン (Nin)
| Word |
Reading |
Romaji |
English |
| 人気 |
にんき |
Ninki |
Popularity |
| 人間 |
にんげん |
Ningen |
Human being |
| 三人 |
さんにん |
Sannin |
Three people |
Kun-readings (訓読み) with Examples
ひと (Hito)
| Word |
Reading |
Romaji |
English |
| あの人 |
あのひと |
Ano hito |
That person |
| 人々 |
ひとびと |
Hitobito |
People |
JLPT N5 Words Using 人
| Word |
Reading |
Romaji |
English |
JLPT |
| 人 |
ひと |
Hito |
Person |
N5 |
| 一人 |
ひとり |
Hitori |
One person |
N5 |
| 二人 |
ふたり |
Futari |
Two people |
N5 |
| 何人 |
なんにん |
Nannin |
How many people |
N5 |
| 人々 |
ひとびと |
Hitobito |
People |
N5 |
| 日本人 |
にほんじん |
Nihon-jin |
Japanese person |
N5 |
| 外国人 |
がいこくじん |
Gaikoku-jin |
Foreigner |
N5 |
| 人気 |
にんき |
Ninki |
Popularity |
N5 |
| 人口 |
じんこう |
Jinkou |
Population |
N4 |
| 大人 |
おとな |
Otona |
Adult |
N5 |
Example Sentences
| Japanese |
Reading |
Romaji |
English |
| 彼は日本人です。 |
かれはにほんじんです。 |
Kare wa Nihon-jin desu. |
He is Japanese. |
| あの人は誰ですか。 |
あのひとはだれですか。 |
Ano hito wa dare desu ka. |
Who is that person? |
| 部屋に三人います。 |
へやさんにんいます。 |
Heya ni sannin imasu. |
There are three people in the room. |
| 私は一人で住んでいます。 |
わたしはひとりですんでいます。 |
Watashi wa hitori de sunde imasu. |
I live alone. |
| この店はとても人気があります。 |
このみせはとてもにんきがあります。 |
Kono mise wa totemo ninki ga arimasu. |
This shop is very popular. |
| 人間は失敗から学びます。 |
にんげんはしっぱいからまなびます。 |
Ningen wa shippai kara manabimasu. |
Humans learn from mistakes. |
Common Confusion Pairs
| Kanji |
Reading |
Meaning |
How to distinguish |
| 人 |
ひと |
Person |
The "person" character. |
| 入 |
い(る) |
Enter |
The strokes are reversed; the right side is longer. |
| 八 |
はち |
Eight |
The strokes do not touch; it looks like a mountain peak. |
- 人 vs 入: In 人, the left stroke is longer and starts higher. In 入, the right stroke is longer and starts higher.
- 人 vs 八: 八 is symmetrical and represents the number 8, whereas 人 is asymmetrical to represent a human figure.
Usage Frequency Note
人 is one of the most frequently used kanji in the Japanese language. It appears in almost every context, from daily conversation to formal news reports. Because it is a fundamental building block for many other kanji, mastering its stroke order and recognition is essential for any beginner.