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民 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
民mínthe peopleHSK 4, ng, 5 strokes, radical 民, rank #3887, Medium
民mínnationalityHSK 4, ng, 5 strokes, radical 民, rank #3887, Medium
民míncitizenHSK 4, ng, 5 strokes, radical 民, rank #3887, Medium
民míncitizens, subjects; a nation's peopleHSK 4, ng, 5 strokes, radical 民, rank #3887, Medium
民mínsurname MinHSK 4, ng, 5 strokes, radical 民, rank #3887, Medium
mín(Min2) T2
  1. 1the people
  2. 2nationality
Also a Chinese surname, Min — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
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#3887DifficultyMedium
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

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 民

民Simplified
5Strokes
民Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#3887Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4

Podcast: 民

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Podcast: 民

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

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.

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.

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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Etymology of 民

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

Pictograph of a line going into the eye. Relation to current meaning unclear.

Memory Hint

An eye 巳 pierced by a dagger 戈, an old mark of slavery

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 民

Pictograph of a line going into the eye. Relation to current meaning unclear.

  1. 1The giveawayAn eye 巳 pierced by a dagger 戈, an old mark of slavery
  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 民? 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 民?

Decomposition of 民

IDS Structure⿻巳戈
民Full Character
=
巳si4
outer
戈Ge1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 民?

How to say the people in Chinese

“the people” in Chinese is民mín

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.

When to use 民

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.

民 or something close to it

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.

What learners get wrong

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'.

Write 民

民

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

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.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

这里的农村有山有水，空气好，农____们过上了好日子。

The countryside here has mountains and rivers, fresh air, and the farmers are living a good life.

Common Confusions with 民

民vs名
míng

Both characters have the radical 人 (rén), but they refer to different concepts.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "the people"?

or

Usage Notes for 民

Confusion with Other UsesCommon Error

Learners often confuse 民 with similar characters that also refer to people or citizenship. It's important to note the specific usage context.

1

民众的意见很重要。

The opinions of the people are very important.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

____众的意见很重要。

The opinions of the people are very important.

Example Sentences for 民 (14)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
ngthe people2
1
政府应该多关注民的需求和意见。

Zhèngfǔ yīnggāi duō guānzhù mín de xūqiú hé yìjiàn.

The government should pay more attention to the needs and opinions of the people.
2
在节日期间，很多民都会去庙里祈福。

Zài jiérì qījiān, hěn duō mín dōu huì qù miào lǐ qífú.

During the festival, many people go to the temple to pray for blessings.
ngsurname Min12
3
传染病正在遭受洪灾的很多灾民中蔓延。

chuán rǎn bìng zhèng zài zāo shòu hóng zāi de hěn duō zāi mín zhōng màn yán。

Infectious diseases are spreading among many of the flood victims.
4
你认为自己深受民众喜爱吗？

nǐ rèn wéi zì jǐ shēn shòu mín zhòng xǐ ài ma？

Do you have the sense that you are loved by the public?
5
还有其他形式的民众骚乱，最出名的是足球流氓行为。

huán yǒu qí tā xíng shì de mín zhòng sāo luàn， ， zuì chū míng de shì zú qiú liú máng háng。

There are other forms of civil disorder — most notably, football hooliganism.
6
真正的危险是该国东部地区的民众动乱。

zhēn zhèng de wēi xiǎn shì gāi guó dōng bù dì qū de mín zhòng dòng luàn。

The real danger is civil unrest in the east of the country.
7
该项目的主要投资商是法国的国民信贷银行。

gāi xiàng mù de zhǔ yào tóu zī shāng shì fǎ guó de guó mín xìn dài yín háng。

The main investor in the project is the French bank Credit National.
8
公民抗命，不管是暴力还是非暴力的，都是故意犯法。

gōng mín kàng mìng， ， bù guǎn shì bào lì huán shì fēi bào lì， de ， dū shì gù yì。

Civil disobedience, violent or non-violent, is intentional law breaking.
9
总的来说，下层民众被认为是传统的保持者。

zǒng de lái shuō， ， xià céng mín zhòng bèi rèn wéi shì chuán tǒng de bǎo chí。

Generally, the lower classes are considered to be the bearers of tradition.
10
民意调查征询了将近80位经济学家的意见。

mín yì tiáo chá zhēng xún le jiāng jìn80 80 wèi jīng jì xué jiā de yì。

The poll canvassed the views of almost eighty economists.
11
这所房子是典型的中世纪民居。

zhè suǒ fáng zǐ shì diǎn xíng de zhōng shì jì mín jū。

The house is a textbook example of medieval domestic architecture.
12
这一危机已在魁北克激起了一波民族独立主义情绪。

zhè yī wēi jī yǐ zài kuí běi kè jī qǐ le yī bō mín zú dú lì zhǔ yì qíng xù。

The crisis has set off a wave of nationalist feelings in Quebec.
13
我们班上有位同学姓民，他的名字叫民伟。

Wǒmen bān shàng yǒu wèi tóngxué xìng Mín, tā de míngzi jiào Mín Wěi.

In our class, there is a classmate with the surname Min, and his name is Min Wei.
14
民先生是这家公司的总裁，他的领导才能得到了大家的认可。

Mín xiānshēng shì zhè jiā gōngsī de zǒngcái, tā de lǐngdǎo cáinéng dédào le dàjiā de rènkě.

Mr. Min is the CEO of this company, and his leadership skills have been recognized by everyone.

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.

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.

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