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亻 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
亻rénman, person; peoplezg, 2 strokes, radical 亻, rank #78329, Very Hard
亻rén"person" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 9)unknown, 2 strokes, radical 亻, rank #78329, Very Hard
rén(ren2) T2
  1. 1man, person; people
  2. 2"person" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 9)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

亻rén(ren2)

The character 亻 (rén) represents the concept of 'man' or 'person' and serves as a radical in many Chinese characters. It is commonly used to denote human-related concepts and is a key component in understanding the meaning of other characters that involve people.

Strokes2Radical亻Frequency#78329DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 'person' or 'people' is foundational, reflecting the importance of community and social relationships in Chinese society. The character 亻 is often seen in terms that describe social roles or family, showcasing the value placed on interpersonal connections.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person standing with one leg slightly bent, resembling the character 亻. The shape can remind you of a human figure, and the pronunciation 'rén' sounds like 'run,' as if the person is about to run.

Meanings of 亻

rén(ren2)
1man, person; people
2"person" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 9)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 亻

亻Simplified
2Strokes
亻Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 亻

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Podcast: 亻

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AI Study Notes for 亻

Usage Notes

When using 亻 as a radical, it is important to understand its presence in other characters, such as 你 (nǐ, you) or 他 (tā, he). Students should also be cautious with the tone, as 'rén' is pronounced with a rising tone, which can change meaning if mispronounced.

HSK Study Tips

Although 亻 itself is not an HSK vocabulary word, it appears in many HSK-level characters. Focus on how it combines with other components to form words and practice recognizing it in various contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse the pronunciation of 亻 with similar sounding words, leading to miscommunication. For instance, saying 'ren' instead of 'rén' can change the meaning entirely.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 亻

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Etymology of 亻

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

亻 is a component form of 人.

Memory Hint

Visual abbreviation of 人

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 亻

亻 is a component form of 人.

  1. 1The giveawayVisual abbreviation of 人
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 亻? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 亻?

How to say man, person; people in Chinese

“man, person; people” in Chinese is亻rén

The character 亻 (rén) represents the concept of 'man' or 'person' and serves as a radical in many Chinese characters. It is commonly used to denote human-related concepts and is a key component in understanding the meaning of other characters that involve people.

When to use 亻

When using 亻 as a radical, it is important to understand its presence in other characters, such as 你 (nǐ, you) or 他 (tā, he). Students should also be cautious with the tone, as 'rén' is pronounced with a rising tone, which can change meaning if mispronounced.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse the pronunciation of 亻 with similar sounding words, leading to miscommunication. For instance, saying 'ren' instead of 'rén' can change the meaning entirely.

Write 亻

亻

Practice writing 亻 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 亻

Words Containing This Character1
亻rén"person" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 9)
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 亻 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 亻

亻 represents 'person' or 'man' and is primarily used as a radical in other characters.

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