字 字源HanziOrigin
中文EnglishFrançaisEspañolالعربيةРусский
民
mín
people, subjects
At a glance · 民

Listen

Audio is synthesized in your browser: Mandarin for the character and Shuowen text, native voices for every translation. No downloads.

Evolution of the glyph

Five stages, from a sketch of the real object to regular script — tap a stage, drag the timeline, or play the animation.

民 Evolution of the glyph
  1. 民 Object sketch
    Object sketchBefore writing · drawing what was seen
  2. 民 Oracle bone
    Oracle boneShang dynasty · c. 1300–1046 BCE
  3. 民 Seal script
    Seal scriptQin dynasty · 221–206 BCE
  4. 民 Clerical script
    Clerical scriptHan dynasty · 206 BCE–220 CE
  5. 民 Regular script
    Regular scriptWei–Jin to Tang · c. 3rd–9th century CE
Object sketchBefore writing · drawing what was seenOracle boneShang dynasty · c. 1300–1046 BCESeal scriptQin dynasty · 221–206 BCEClerical scriptHan dynasty · 206 BCE–220 CERegular scriptWei–Jin to Tang · c. 3rd–9th century CE

民字甲骨文象以针刺目之形，本义为奴隶、草民；后泛指百姓。金文、小篆承之。

What the sketch shows

民 Object sketch

Origins & notes

民本义为草民、百姓，泛指人民。

Structure

民为象形字，描摹受统治之民（一说刺目之奴），后引申为百姓。

At a glance

Pinyinmín
Radical乛
Strokes5
UnicodeU+6C11
Character type象形
Theme人伦

Six languages, one character

Each page offers hreflang versions; switching language keeps the glyphs and meanings aligned.

English people, subjects Min was originally a pictograph of commoners or slaves and came to mean the people.
Français peuple, sujets Min était à l'origine un pictogramme de roturiers ou d'esclaves et a signifié le peuple.
Español pueblo, súbditos Min era originalmente un pictograma de plebeyos o esclavos y pasó a significar el pueblo.
العربية شعب، رعية مين كان في الأصل رسماً للعوام أو العبيد ثم عنى الشعب.
Русский народ, подданные Минь изначально было пиктограммой простолюдинов или рабов и стало означать народ.

Common words

  • 人民rén mínpeople
  • 民族mín zúnation

Related characters