人間|にんげんningen[0]heiban (flat)

JLPT N3approx.Common
Definitions
  1. nounhuman being; human; person; man; mankind; humankind
    どんなに財産ざいさんがあっても、貪欲どんよくな人間にんげんは満足まんぞくできない。世界中せかいじゅうの財宝ざいほうを集あつめても幸福こうふくにはなれない。↗
    No amount of wealth can satisfy a covetous man. All the treasure in the world won't make him happy.
  2. nouncharacter (of a person)
Synonyms & antonyms
  • 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

Japanese definitions
  1. (にんげん)立たって歩あるき、言葉ことばや火ひや道具どうぐを使つかう事ことなどによって、万物ばんぶつの霊長れいちょうとされるところのヒト。ホモ・サピエンス〔他たの動物どうぶつと区別くべつする場合ばあい〕。
  2. 普通ふつうの人ひと。万能ばんのうでないもの。感情かんじょうを持もった卑俗ひぞくな存在そんざい。
  3. 良識りょうしきある道徳的どうとくてきな人ひと。
  4. (にんげん)性格せいかく、人格じんかく、人柄ひとがら。
  5. (にんげん・じんかん)世間せけん、人ひとの住すむ世界せかい、現世げんせ。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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