How to say "everybody" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- noun, pronoun, adverbThe neutral, all-purpose word for 'everyone; everybody; all', used both to address a group and to refer to one; the default when no special politeness or emphasis is needed. Usually written in kana alone.
- 万人ばんにんnounMeans 'all people' — everybody in the abstract, people in general — rather than any specific group present; for talking about the particular people around you it is seldom the word you want.
- 面々めんめんnounRefers to the individual members of a particular group under discussion — 'each one' of them; it points to specific persons rather than people in general, and is not used to address a group directly.
- 皆さんみなさんnounThe respectful counterpart of みな, explicitly honorific; the natural choice when politely addressing a group — an audience, a class, customers — or referring to the people you are speaking to with courtesy.
- 全員ぜんいんnoun, adverbMeans 'all the members' of a defined group — every single person, without exception; typical when reporting or counting, as in saying that everyone attended, responded, or is included.
Use 「みな」 as the neutral default, 「皆さん」 when politely addressing a group, 全員 for every member of a defined group, 面々 for the individuals of a group under discussion, and 万人 for 'all people' in the abstract.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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