人影

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 人影, read ひとかげ, means a human figure seen at a distance or any visible sign that a person is present.
• Basic usage: It can be a shape on a dark road, while 人影がない describes a station with nobody in sight.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• A visible figure or any sign of a person
  • It can be a human figure visible on a dark road or any sign of a person, as in an empty station. It is not limited to a literal cast shadow.