How to Say "Person" in Japanese

人

[çi̥to̞]

The Japanese word for person is 人.

人 is the most common and neutral term for a person in Japanese. It can be used to refer to a specific individual or as a general noun for people.

Meaning: specifically a human being (noun)

Which one should you use?

While 人 refers to an individual person, 人間 (ningen) is used to refer to the concept of a human being or humanity.

When used as a standalone noun meaning person, 人 is most commonly read as hito.

The word 人間 (ningen) includes the character for 'between' or 'gap', literally suggesting a human is a being that exists in the space between things.
The character 人 is a pictograph originally drawn to look like a profile of a person standing on two legs.
The pronunciation of 人 has undergone a significant historical shift, evolving from an ancient sound resembling 'pito' to the modern 'hito'.

俺は人間だ。
I'm a person.
This sentence uses 人 to state that the speaker is a person.
Tatoeba #188359 by wat, translation #433599 by CM
いい人です。
He's a good person.
This sentence uses 人 to describe someone as a good person.
Tatoeba #229344 by bunbuku, translation #2368 by CK
現金な人ね。
A calculative person, aren't they.
This sentence uses 人 to describe someone as a calculative person.
Tatoeba #10774753 by small_snow, translation #10778473 by raqreqentba
あの人はだれ？
Who is that person?
にほんじん
Japanese person
500 more sentences on Tatoeba

Yui and Kenta are talking about a person they saw in the park.

結衣 Yui

あそこに、変な人がいます。
Asoko ni, hen na hito ga imasu.
There is a strange person over there.
健太 Kenta

本当だ。どんな人ですか？
Hontou da. Donna hito desu ka?
You're right. What kind of person is it?
結衣 Yui

すごく大きな人が歩いています。
Sugoku ookina hito ga aruite imasu.
A very large person is walking.
健太 Kenta

あ、あの人ですね。
A, ano hito desu ne.
Ah, that person, right?

Sources

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