[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Anatomy-and-Living \ #Human-Body # 人 rén person, human ## Components [[人 (rén)]] ## Meaning Today, the character **人 (rén)** primarily means "person" or "human." It is used to refer to individuals in a general sense, encompassing all of humanity. Beyond this fundamental meaning, the character is also integral to many compound words and expressions, expanding its significance in modern usage. **Common Uses and Compounds:** - **个人 (gèrén)**: Individual, personal - **人类 (rénlèi)**: Mankind, humanity - **人口 (rénkǒu)**: Population - **男人 (nánrén)**: Man - **女人 (nǚrén)**: Woman ## History The character “人” is a pictograph. According to the Shuowen Jiezi, “人” holds the highest position between heaven and earth, with its shape originating from ancient scripts. In oracle bone script and bronze inscriptions, the character “人” resembles a person standing sideways, with both hands extended forward and downward. After the clerical script reform, the character “人” evolved into its present form, where it no longer visually resembles a person. In ancient times, “人” also referred to common people. Nowadays, it also denotes human qualities, character, and reputation, as seen in expressions like 丢人 (to lose face). ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ![[人oracular 1.svg]] ### Bronze Script ![[人bronze 1.svg]] ### Seal Script ![[人 rén - Sello.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[人 rén - Cle.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[人 reg.svg]]