黑人
hēirén
The English phrase 'negro' can be translated into Chinese as 黑人 (hēirén).
黑人 is used to refer to a black person.
Meaning: black person (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
This term is composed of 黑 (hēi), meaning 'black' and 人 (rén), meaning 'person'.
How does it change in a sentence?
黑人 is a noun that does not change its form for pluralization. The context of the sentence determines if it refers to one person or many.
How do you pronounce it?
hēirén
Did you know?
- Unlike the English word 'negro', which has evolved into a term with complex and often offensive connotations, 黑人 remains a descriptive and neutral term in modern Mandarin.
- In modern internet slang, the character 黑 (hēi) can also mean 'to smear' or 'to criticize' someone, which is a completely different usage from the color.
- While 黑人 is the standard term, some people use the phrase 非裔 (fēiyì) to specifically denote 'of African descent', which is perceived as more formal and academic.
Examples in context
- 那个黑人很友好。Nàge hēirén hěn yǒuhǎo.That black person is very friendly.
- 他在黑人社区工作。Tā zài hēirén shèqū gōngzuò.He works in a black community.
- 我认识很多黑人。Wǒ rènshi hěnduō hēirén.I know many black people.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a new neighbor at a party.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen那个黑人是新搬来的吗？Nàge hēirén shì xīn bān lái de ma?Is that black person a new neighbor?
- 志强 Zhiqiang是的，他是一位很有礼貌的人。Shì de, tā shì yī wèi hěn yǒu lǐmào de rén.Yes, he is a very polite person.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen他看起来很帅。Tā kàn qǐlái hěn shuài.He looks very handsome.
- 志强 Zhiqiang我也觉得他很有精神。Wǒ yě juéde tā hěn yǒu jīngshen.I also think he looks very energetic.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “negro” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
