Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 人間 | ningen | [ɲ̟ĩŋɡẽ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
| 人 | hito | [çi̥to̞] (narrow) [ɲ̟ĩɴ] (narrow) |
| 人類 | jinrui | [d͡ʑĩn̺ɾɯ̟i] (narrow) |
The term 人間 is the most common and general way to say 'human' in Japanese. It is used when referring to humans as a species or when discussing human nature and existence.
Which one should you use?
There are three main ways to express this concept depending on the context. 人 (hito) is a general term for a person and is often used in casual speech or when referring to individuals. 人間 (ningen) focuses on the human being as a biological or philosophical entity. 人類 (jinrui) refers to humanity as a collective whole or the human race, typically in a scientific or historical context.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To use the noun 'human' as an adjective meaning 'human [noun]', you must add the particle の to the noun, such as 人間の (of a human or human's).
How do you pronounce it?
ningen
Did you know?
- The word 人間 literally translates to 'the space between people'.
Examples in context
- 俺は人間だ。I'm a human.This sentence is useful for asserting one's identity as a human using 人.Tatoeba #188359 by wat, translation #433600 by Alkrasnov
- 私も人間です。I'm human, too.This sentence is useful for expressing that one is also a human using 人.Tatoeba #9930627 by small_snow, translation #8882534 by deniko
- 人の命は儚い。Human life is short.This sentence is useful for describing human life using 人.Tatoeba #10723743 by small_snow, translation #7924224 by AlanF_US
- 人間の可能性は無限です。The potential of humans is limitless.
- 人は生まれながらにして平等です。All humans are born equal.
- 僕たちはみんな人間だから、間違いを犯すこともあるさ。We're all humans, so we all make mistakes.
- いい人たちに囲まれている。I'm surrounded by good people.
- 彼は人間のような人だ。He is someone who is like a true human.
- 97 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yota and Yui are discussing a futuristic movie about robots.
- 陽太 Yotaロボットが人間になりたいと思っています。Robotto ga ningen ni naritai to omotte imasu.The robot wants to become a human.
- 結衣 Yui人間になるのは難しいことだと思います。Ningen ni naru no wa muzukashii koto da to omoimasu.I think becoming a human is a difficult thing.
- 陽太 Yotaでも、感情を持つのは人間らしいですよね。Demo, kanjou o motsu no wa ningenrashii desu yo ne.But having emotions is very human, isn't it?
- 結衣 Yuiそうですね。それが人間のいいところです。Sou desu ne. Sore ga ningen no ii tokoro desu.That's true. That is the good part about being human.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “human” translations and entries 人間, 人, 人類, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 人, 人間, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
