人

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 人 is read ひと and is the basic noun for a person.
• Basic usage: It is used for speaking to someone in difficulty or describing people lined up outside a store.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Singular and plural
  • 人 by itself does not fix whether one person or several people are meant. Expressions such as 多くの人 and the context determine whether person or people fits in English.
• Counting people
  • When counting people, 一人(ひとり) and 二人(ふたり) have distinct readings.