Human

by Nao

hito, pito, nin, jin

A human being is hito or ningen. The gen of ningen means a gap. I’m not sure about the etymological reason, but probably it comes from society and the world in the sense of space between human beings. The human species is jinrui, of which the rui is a class.

This character is also the unit of persons. Count people as follows.

• One person = hitori (= ichi + nin) * This reading is exceptional.
• Two persons = futari (= ni + nin) * This reading is special, too.
• Three persons = sannin
• Four persons = yonin
• Five persons = gonin
• Six persons = rokunin
• Seven persons = nananin or shichinin
• Eight persons = hachinin
• Nine persons = kunin
• Ten persons = jūnin

Talking about jūnin, I have written about jūnintoiro.

The people or a person of Japan is nihonjin.  Nihon is Japan. Similarly, combining your country’s name and jin makes its people.

An individual person is kojin. An acquaintance is chijin. Population is jinkō. Humanity, or the quality of being humane is jindō. Popularity is ninki.

An adult or adults are otona consisting of dai and today’s character. Such a way of reading is exceptional.

First, draw the sweeping stroke from the top to the lower left, and then draw the other sweeping stroke from the middle of the first stroke.