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人口 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
人口rénkǒupopulationHSK 5, n, 5 strokes, rank #3746, Hard
人口rénkǒupeopleHSK 5, n, 5 strokes, rank #3746, Hard
rénkǒu(ren2kou3)ren kou T2
  1. 1population
  2. 2people
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March 24, 2026

人口rénkǒu(ren2kou3)

人口 (rénkǒu) refers to the total number of people living in a specific area or country. It is commonly used in discussions about demographics, social policies, and economic planning, particularly when analyzing trends in population growth or decline.

Strokes5Frequency#3746DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

人口 is a critical concept in China's history, particularly in discussions about the one-child policy and its implications on society and economy. The management of 人口 has been a central theme in Chinese governance.

Memory Tip

Imagine a crowd of people (人) holding a giant vote (口) about where to live. The character 人 represents 'people', while 口 signifies 'mouth' or 'vote', linking to the idea of the population's voice.

Meanings of 人口

rénkǒu(ren2kou3)
1population
2people
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 人口

人口Simplified
5Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#3746Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1

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AI Study Notes for 人口

Quick Contrast

总人口 (zǒng rénkǒu) refers specifically to the total population, while 人口 (rénkǒu) can refer to population in a more general sense.

Usage Notes

Be aware that 人口 is typically used in formal contexts, such as government reports or academic discussions. A common mistake is using it informally, where terms like '人' (people) might suffice. Ensure to use the correct tone, as mispronunciation can change the word's meaning.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 5 word, 人口 connects with other demographic-related terms like 社会 (shèhuì, society) and 经济 (jīngjì, economy). Focus on understanding how to use it in various sentences and contexts related to population discussions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 人口 with 人, mistakenly saying '我的人口是五' (Wǒ de rénkǒu shì wǔ), which means 'My population is five.' The correct usage would be '我有五个人' (Wǒ yǒu wǔ gèrén) meaning 'I have five people.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 人口

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Component Characters

人rénman
HSK 12 strokes人
View full entry
口kǒumouth
HSK 13 strokes口
View full entry

How to say population in Chinese

“population” in Chinese is人口rénkǒu

人口 (rénkǒu) refers to the total number of people living in a specific area or country. It is commonly used in discussions about demographics, social policies, and economic planning, particularly when analyzing trends in population growth or decline.

When to use 人口

Be aware that 人口 is typically used in formal contexts, such as government reports or academic discussions. A common mistake is using it informally, where terms like '人' (people) might suffice. Ensure to use the correct tone, as mispronunciation can change the word's meaning.

人口 or something close to it

总人口 (zǒng rénkǒu) refers specifically to the total population, while 人口 (rénkǒu) can refer to population in a more general sense.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 人口 with 人, mistakenly saying '我的人口是五' (Wǒ de rénkǒu shì wǔ), which means 'My population is five.' The correct usage would be '我有五个人' (Wǒ yǒu wǔ gèrén) meaning 'I have five people.'

Write 人口

人
口

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

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Grammar Patterns of 人口

人口 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 2 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 lessons1
Exercise 1 of 5

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

随着移居者南移，____出现膨胀，至少是暂时性膨胀。

The human population swelled, at least temporarily, as migrants moved south.

Example Sentences for 人口 (10)

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1
随着移居者南移，人口出现膨胀，至少是暂时性膨胀。

suí zháo yí jū zhě nán yí， ， rén kǒu chū xiàn péng， zhàng ， zhì shǎo shì zàn shí xìng。

The human population swelled, at least temporarily, as migrants moved south.
2
就业人口中有将近13%已失业。

jiù yè rén kǒu zhōng yǒu jiāng jìn13% 13% yǐ shī。

Almost 13 per cent of the working population is already unemployed.
3
人口中有40%的人营养不良。

rén kǒu zhōng yǒu40% 40% de rén yíng yǎng bù。

Forty per cent of the population is suffering from malnutrition.
4
各民族人口如此杂居，肯定会发生冲突。

gè mín zú rén kǒu rú cǐ zá jū， ， kěn dìng huì fā shēng chōng。

The ethnic populations are so intermingled that there's bound to be conflict.
5
人口中有一大部分说以法语为基础的混合语。

rén kǒu zhōng yǒu yī dà bù fēn shuō yǐ fǎ yǔ wéi jī chǔ de hùn hé yǔ。

A substantial proportion of the population speak a French-based patois.
6
粮食生产已经跟不上人口增长。

liáng shí shēng chǎn yǐ jīng gēn bù shàng rén kǒu zēng cháng。

Food production has already fallen behind the population growth.
7
英国有170万失明和视力受损人口。

yīng guó yǒu170 170 wàn shī míng hé shì lì shòu sǔn rén。

There are 7 million blind and visually impaired people in Britain.
8
表1.15显示出哪些省份在1910至1920年间人口减少了。

biǎo1.15 1.15 xiǎn shì chū nǎ xiē shěng fèn1910 zài1920 1910 zhì 1920 nián jiān rén kǒu。

Figure 15 shows which provinces lost populations between 1910 and
9
1800年，爱尔兰的人口数为900万，而英国则有1,600万。

1800 1800， nián ， ài ěr lán de rén kǒu900 shù， wéi 900 wàn ， ér1,600 yīng。

In 1800 Ireland's population was nine million, compared to Britain's 16 million.
10
谁知道人口过剩会带来什么麻烦?

shuí zhī dào rén kǒu guò shèng huì dài lái shí mó má fán?

Who knows what a bother may ensue from overpopulation?

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Frequently Asked Questions about 人口

You can say '中国的人口很大' (Zhōngguó de rénkǒu hěn dà), which means 'China's population is large.'

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