民|たみtami[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. nounpeople; citizens; subjects; folk

• Synonym国民こくみんWrittenRead 「くにたみ」, this is an old word for the people of a country; 「民」 is the more literary, written-style term.
• Synonym人民じんみんNeutralA political term for the people or the populace; 「民」 is the more literary of the two.
• SynonymピープルNeutralLoanword for people or the public, common in advertising and promotional copy; 「民」 is the more traditional, literary choice.
• Related市民しみんNeutralCity dwellers or citizens, as in 「市民運動」; 「民」 is broader in scope and more literary.
• Related公民こうみんWrittenThe same archaic word as 「大御宝」 in another spelling: commoners under the emperor's rule. Not used today; use 「民」 for the general sense.
• Related大御宝おおみたからWrittenArchaic word for the people as the emperor's subjects; covers the same ground as 「民」 but with an ancient imperial-court flavor. Not used today.
• Related臣民しんみんWrittenA written-style word for subjects under a monarch's rule; 「民」 is the more neutral term.
• Related有衆ゆうしゅうWrittenA written, archaic word for the masses or the general public; rarely seen in modern Japanese.
• Antonym君きみWrittenWhen read 「きみ」, its old sense is sovereign; it stands opposite 「民」 in the ruler-and-ruled relationship.
• Antonym官かんNeutralStands opposite 「民」 in the government-versus-people divide; refers to the authorities and the bureaucracy.

For a literary, written way to say the people or common folk, use 「民」, as in 「民の声」. For the people in a political sense choose 「人民」, for city residents 「市民」, and for subjects under a monarch 「臣民」. Its opposites are 「官」 and 「君」; 「大御宝」, 「公民」 and 「有衆」 are archaic.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. （たみ）国くにや自治体じちたいを構成こうせいする人々ひとびと。