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March 24, 2026
民mín(Min2)
The character '民' (mín) primarily means 'the people' or 'citizens' and is often used in contexts related to nationality and the populace of a nation. It can also refer to subjects within a state and is commonly found in terms relating to governance and society.
Strokes5Radical民Frequency#3887DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese history, the term '民' has been significant in the development of the concept of citizenship and the relationship between the government and its people, especially during the Qing Dynasty and the Republic era.
Memory Tip
Imagine a crowd of people ('民') standing together, each representing the diverse nationalities ('民族' - mín zú) within a country. The character has a 'person' radical at the bottom, symbolizing individuals coming together as a collective.
Meanings of 民
mín(Min2)
1the people
2nationality
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 民
民Simplified
5Strokes
民Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#3887Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4
Podcast: 民
Podcast: 民
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AI Study Notes for 民
Quick Contrast
公民 (gōngmín) vs 民众 (mínzhòng) — use '民' for a general reference to 'the people' rather than the more formal '公民' which implies citizenship, or '民众' which emphasizes the masses.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a crowd of people ('民') standing together, each representing the diverse nationalities ('民族' - mín zú) within a country. The character has a 'person' radical at the bottom, symbolizing individuals coming together as a collective.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse '民' with similar characters like '民俗' (mín sú - folk customs) or '民主' (mín zhǔ - democracy), as they emphasize different aspects of 'the people'. This character is more commonly used in formal contexts.
HSK Study Tips
While '民' is not included in HSK levels, it connects well with other characters related to society and governance, such as '国' (guó - country) and '众' (zhòng - crowd). Focus on its usage in compound words to enhance vocabulary.
Cultural Note
In Chinese history, the term '民' has been significant in the development of the concept of citizenship and the relationship between the government and its people, especially during the Qing Dynasty and the Republic era.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse '民' with '民事' (mín shì - civil) which has a specific legal context. Be sure to use '民' solely when referring to 'the people' or 'citizens'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 民
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Grammar Patterns of 民
民 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
The crisis has set off a wave of nationalist feelings in Quebec.
Cultural Notes for 民
💡Did you know?
The character 民 has been used for centuries to signify 'the people' or 'citizens', emphasizing the importance of the populace in governance and society in Chinese culture.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese history, the term '民' has been significant in the development of the concept of citizenship and the relationship between the government and its people, especially during the Qing Dynasty and the Republic era.
Word Family of 民
Compounds21
眠mian2to sleep
氓mang2see 流氓[liú máng]
珉min2alabaster; a jade-like stone
泯min3to destroy, to eliminate; to perish
抿min3to press, to smooth; to purse the lips
岷min2the Min mountains; the Min river
呡
刡
囻
姄
敃min3robust, strong, vigorous
罠
苠min2number, multitude; bamboo skin
冺
垊
怋
昬hun1dusk; dark, confused; stupid
笢
蟁
鈱
鴖
Words Containing This Character20
人民rénmínthe people
居民jūmínresident
市民shìmíncity resident
民mínthe people
农民nóngmínpeasant農民
公民gōngmíncitizen
民族mínzúnationality
民主mínzhǔdemocracy
移民yímínto immigrate
人民币rénmínbìRenminbi (RMB)人民幣
民众mínzhòngpopulace民眾
平民píngmíncommoner
村民villager
民警mínjǐngcivil police
国民guómínnationals國民
民间mínjiānpopular民間
民主党Democratic Party民主黨
民事civil case
选民xuǎnmínvoter選民
难民refugee難民
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 眠 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 民
Yes, 民 (mín) is a relatively common surname in China. It is one of the many surnames that reflect a person's heritage or family background, and can also signify a connection to the concept of the people or nationality.
民 (mín) specifically refers to citizens or the people of a nation, whereas 人 (rén) is a more general term that means 'person' or 'people.' 民 emphasizes the collective identity of a group, while 人 focuses on individuals.
You can use 民 in sentences to refer to citizens or people, such as '我们是中国民' (We are Chinese citizens). It often appears in discussions about the population or public matters, such as '民众' (the populace) or '民生' (people's livelihood).
民 (mín) means 'the people' or 'citizens' in Chinese. It can also refer to a nationality or a specific group of people within a society. Additionally, 民 is a common surname in China.
'民' is commonly found in phrases like '民众' (mín zhòng - the masses) and '人民' (rén mín - the people).
'民' is typically used in formal contexts, especially in discussions related to government, rights, and society.
'民' is pronounced as 'mín', with a rising tone, similar to how you might ask a question.
