人間|にんげんningen[0]heiban (flat)
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- nounhuman being; human; person; man; mankind; humankind
- nouncharacter (of a person)
- Synonym人類じんるいNeutralHumanity as a whole species, as in 「人類の歴史」; it cannot refer to a single person, which 「人間」 can.
- Related個人こじんNeutralA single person seen against the group or society, as in 「個人の自由」; 「人間」 looks at people as beings, not as individuals set against a collective.
- Antonym動物どうぶつNeutralThe counterpart of 「人間」 when distinguishing humans from other living things, as in 「人間と動物の違い」.
- Antonym神かみNeutralSet against 「人間」 in the contrast between gods and mortals; there 「人間」 means limited, fallible human beings.
- Antonym獣けものNeutralA wild beast; set against 「人間」, it often figuratively describes someone who has lost their humanity and behaves like a brute.
Use 「人間」 for a human being or a person's character. 「個人」 is the individual versus the group, 「人類」 humanity as a species. 「動物」, 「神」 and 「獣」 are opposites, used in contrasts with humans, gods or brutes.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only


