恩人

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: In 恩人 (おんじん), favor 恩 and person 人 combine to denote a benefactor.
• Basic usage: 恩人に can mark a benefactor as the recipient of thanks or repayment, while 恩人と marks someone as being regarded or described as a benefactor.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Benefactor and particle choice
  • The noun denotes the person, not the favor itself.