When using 个人 (gèrén) as an adjective, it means "personal" or "individual." It emphasizes something belonging to or relating to a single person rather than a group or public entity. For example, you might talk about someone's 个人意见 (gèrén yìjiàn), their personal opinion, or 个人物品 (gèrén wùpǐn), personal belongings.
个人 30秒で
- personal (adj.)
- individual (adj.)
- private (adj.)
§ What does it mean and when do people use it?
Let's break down the word 个人 (gè rén). At its core, 个人 means 'personal' or 'individual'. You'll see it used a lot to emphasize that something relates to a single person, as opposed to a group, a company, or society in general. Think of it as a way to say 'my own personal thing' or 'this is an individual matter'.
- DEFINITION
- personal; individual
When you're talking about someone's personal belongings, personal opinions, or even personal space, 个人 is the word you'll reach for. It often functions like an adjective, modifying a noun, but it can also act as a noun itself, meaning 'an individual person'. It's pretty versatile, so let's look at some common scenarios.
§ Talking about personal property or affairs
This is one of the most common uses. If something belongs to an individual, or is a private matter, 个人 is your go-to word. Imagine you're at a party, and someone asks about your car. You might say it's your 'personal car'.
这是我的个人电脑。 (Zhè shì wǒ de gè rén diàn nǎo.) This is my personal computer.
Here, 个人 modifies 电脑 (diàn nǎo - computer), making it clear that it's not a work computer or a shared family computer, but specifically 'my own'.
那是他的个人意见。 (Nà shì tā de gè rén yì jiàn.) That is his personal opinion.
In this example, 个人 modifies 意见 (yì jiàn - opinion), signifying that it's his individual viewpoint, not necessarily the view of a group he belongs to.
§ Emphasizing individuality or privacy
Sometimes, 个人 is used to highlight that something is unique to an individual or to emphasize the concept of privacy. It's often used in more formal contexts when discussing individual rights or responsibilities.
每个人都有自己的个人空间。 (Měi ge rén dōu yǒu zì jǐ de gè rén kōng jiān.) Everyone has their own personal space.
Here, 个人空间 (gè rén kōng jiān) directly translates to 'personal space'. It's a common phrase you'll hear.
请尊重他人的个人选择。 (Qǐng zūn zhòng tā rén de gè rén xuǎn zé.) Please respect others' personal choices.
This sentence uses 个人选择 (gè rén xuǎn zé), meaning 'personal choices', emphasizing the individual's right to make their own decisions.
§ As a standalone noun: 'an individual'
While often an adjective, 个人 can also stand alone as a noun, meaning 'an individual person'. This is useful when you want to refer to a single person within a larger group or context.
他是一个非常有天赋的个人。 (Tā shì yī ge fēi cháng yǒu tiān fù de gè rén.) He is a very talented individual .
In this case, 个人 acts as the noun 'individual', referring to 'him' as a singular entity with talent.
§ Common phrases with 个人
Learning common phrases is always a smart move. Here are a few you'll encounter:
个人资料 (gè rén zī liào): Personal information/data. You'll see this on forms or websites.
个人简历 (gè rén jiǎn lì): Resume/CV. Essential for job applications.
个人生活 (gè rén shēng huó): Personal life. Often used to distinguish from work life.
个人能力 (gè rén néng lì): Individual ability/capability. Describes a person's specific skills.
§ What to watch out for: 个人 vs. 私人
So, when in doubt, remember that 个人 emphasizes the 'individual' aspect, while 私人 often leans towards 'private' in a more exclusive or confidential sense. You wouldn't typically say 私人电脑 for a personal computer, as it sounds a bit too secretive!
Mastering 个人 will significantly help you express ownership, individual opinions, and personal matters in Chinese. Pay attention to how native speakers use it in different contexts, and you'll quickly get the hang of it.
How Formal Is It?
"这是我的私人财产，请勿触碰。 (Zhè shì wǒ de sīrén cáichǎn, qǐng wù chùpèng.) This is my private property, please do not touch."
"这只是我个人意见，不代表公司。 (Zhè zhǐ shì wǒ gèrén yìjiàn, bù dàibiǎo gōngsī.) This is just my personal opinion, it doesn't represent the company."
"我喜欢有自己的空间。 (Wǒ xǐhuān yǒu zìjǐ de kōngjiān.) I like to have my own space."
"这是我的玩具！ (Zhè shì wǒ de wánjù!) This is my toy!"
"这是我专属的VIP服务。 (Zhè shì wǒ zhuānshǔ de VIP fúwù.) This is my exclusive VIP service."
レベル別の例文
我需要一些个人时间来放松。
I need some personal time to relax.
这是我个人的意见，不代表公司立场。
This is my personal opinion and does not represent the company's stance.
请填写你的个人信息。
Please fill in your personal information.
他非常注重个人隐私。
He pays great attention to personal privacy.
每个人都有不同的个人偏好。
Everyone has different personal preferences.
你需要为你的个人行为负责。
You need to be responsible for your individual actions.
公司会根据员工的个人表现进行评估。
The company will evaluate employees based on their individual performance.
这次的活动需要每个人的个人参与。
This event requires everyone's individual participation.
ヒント
Basic Meaning of 个人
个人 (gèrén) primarily means personal or individual. It’s used when you're talking about something belonging to or relating to a single person.
Using 个人 as an Adjective
You'll often see 个人 modifying nouns, similar to how personal or individual works in English. For example, 个人意见 (gèrén yìjiàn) means personal opinion.
Common Phrases with 个人
Memorize common phrases. 个人信息 (gèrén xìnxī) means personal information, and 个人物品 (gèrén wùpǐn) means personal belongings. These are very practical.
Distinguishing from 自己
While both relate to a person, 个人 emphasizes the individual aspect, often in contrast to a group or public. 自己 (zìjǐ) means oneself or self, focusing more on the agent of an action.
Don't Confuse with 人
个人 is not just 人 (rén - person). 个人 specifically highlights the individual or personal nature, adding a layer of meaning that 人 alone doesn't convey.
Formal Contexts
个人 can sound a bit more formal or official than simply saying 'my' or 'your' if you're talking about something very personal, like personal achievement (个人成就, gèrén chéngjiù).
Using in Sentences
Try to construct simple sentences. 我的个人电脑 (Wǒ de gèrén diànnǎo) - My personal computer. 他的个人能力很强 (Tā de gèrén nénglì hěn qiáng) - His individual ability is very strong.
Avoid Overuse
While useful, don't overuse 个人. In many casual situations, simply using 'my' (我的, wǒde) or 'your' (你的, nǐde) is more natural than explicitly stating 'my personal opinion' if the context is clear.
Individual vs. Collective
In Chinese culture, the concept of the individual (个人) can sometimes be balanced with the collective. Understanding when to emphasize personal vs. group identity is a nuanced learning point.
Practice with Examples
The best way to learn is to see and use it in context. Examples: 这是我的个人看法。 (Zhè shì wǒ de gèrén kànfǎ.) - This is my personal view. 他在个人方面很优秀。 (Tā zài gèrén fāngmiàn hěn yōuxiù.) - He is excellent in his individual capacity.
自分をテスト 42 問
Choose the correct word to complete the sentence: 他喜欢有自己的 ___ 空间。
The sentence means 'He likes to have his own personal space.' '个人' (gèrén) means personal or individual.
Which of the following best translates 'personal opinion'?
'个人' (gèrén) means personal or individual, and '意见' (yìjiàn) means opinion. So '个人意见' means personal opinion.
What does '个人信息' mean?
'个人' (gèrén) means personal or individual, and '信息' (xìnxī) means information. So '个人信息' means personal information.
The sentence '这是我的个人手机' means 'This is my personal phone.'
'个人' (gèrén) means personal or individual, and '手机' (shǒujī) means phone. So the sentence correctly translates to 'This is my personal phone.'
The word '个人' can be used to describe a company's goals.
'个人' (gèrén) means personal or individual, referring to a single person. It is not typically used to describe a company's goals, which would involve '公司目标' (gōngsī mùbiāo) or '企业目标' (qǐyè mùbiāo).
In '他是一个很个人的人', '个人' is used correctly to mean 'He is a very personal person.'
While '个人' means 'personal' or 'individual', saying '一个很个人的人' (yī ge hěn gèrén de rén) is not a natural way to express 'a very personal person' in Chinese. A more natural way to express someone who is private or introverted might be '他是一个很内向的人' (Tā shì yī ge hěn nèixiàng de rén, 'He is an introverted person') or '他喜欢保持个人隐私' (Tā xǐhuan bǎochí gèrén yǐnsī, 'He likes to keep his personal privacy').
她觉得这件事情和她的___利益有关。
The sentence is talking about 'her personal interests,' so 个人 (gèrén) is the correct choice, meaning 'personal' or 'individual.' 共同 (gòngtóng) means 'common,' 集体 (jítǐ) means 'collective,' and 公众 (gōngzhòng) means 'public.'
我们应该尊重每个人的___选择。
The phrase 'personal choices' is best expressed with 个人 (gèrén) to mean 'individual' or 'personal.' 一般 (yībān) means 'general,' 主要 (zhǔyào) means 'main,' and 普遍 (pǔbiàn) means 'universal.'
请你谈谈你的___看法。
Here, 'your personal opinion' is the intended meaning, making 个人 (gèrén) the appropriate word for 'personal' or 'individual.' 别人 (biéren) means 'other people,' 大家 (dàjiā) means 'everyone,' and 所有 (suǒyǒu) means 'all.'
他的___经历非常丰富。
The sentence refers to 'his personal experiences,' so 个人 (gèrén) is the correct word for 'personal.' 公共 (gōnggòng) means 'public,' 社会 (shèhuì) means 'social,' and 集体 (jítǐ) means 'collective.'
为了保护___隐私，我们不公开这些信息。
The phrase 'personal privacy' requires 个人 (gèrén) for 'personal.' 团体 (tuántǐ) means 'group,' 公司 (gōngsī) means 'company,' and 国家 (guójiā) means 'country.'
这项任务需要你付出___努力。
The sentence means 'this task requires your personal effort,' so 个人 (gèrén) is the best fit for 'personal' or 'individual.' 普遍 (pǔbiàn) means 'universal,' 共同 (gòngtóng) means 'common,' and 主要 (zhǔyào) means 'main.'
Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence: 他认为这是一个非常___的决定。
The sentence implies a decision made by an individual, making '个人' (personal/individual) the best fit. '公共' means public, '集体' means collective, and '普遍' means universal.
Which of the following sentences correctly uses '个人'?
In this context, '个人意见' (personal opinion) is the correct usage. The other options use '个人' incorrectly or in ways that don't fit the typical usage of the word in Chinese.
Select the sentence where '个人' functions as an adjective.
In '这是一个个人问题。' (This is a personal problem.), '个人' modifies '问题', acting as an adjective. In the other options, '个人' is used as a noun or adverbial.
The sentence '每个人都有自己的个人隐私。' (Everyone has their own personal privacy.) correctly uses '个人'.
'个人隐私' (personal privacy) is a common and correct collocation, making the statement true.
You can use '个人' to describe a large group of people.
'个人' refers to an individual or something personal to an individual, not a large group. For a group, words like '集体' (collective) or '大家' (everyone) would be more appropriate.
The phrase '个人生活' means 'public life'.
'个人生活' (gè rén shēng huó) directly translates to 'personal life' or 'individual life', not 'public life'. 'Public life' would be '公共生活' (gōng gòng shēng huó).
This sentence means 'I need a little personal space.' '个人空间' (gèrén kōngjiān) is a common phrase for 'personal space'.
This sentence translates to 'This is purely his personal opinion.' '个人意见' (gèrén yìjiàn) means 'personal opinion'.
This means 'We need to focus on comprehensive personal development.' '个人发展' (gèrén fāzhǎn) is 'personal development'.
Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence: 他有很强的___责任感。
‘个人’ (gèrén) refers to an individual's personal or individual sense of responsibility. '私人' (sīrén) implies private or personal property/affairs, '个体' (gètǐ) refers to an individual entity (often in biology or business), and '自身' (zìshēn) means oneself or itself.
Which of the following sentences correctly uses '个人'?
‘个人’ (gèrén) functions as an adjective or noun meaning 'personal' or 'individual.' Option A uses it correctly to modify '看法' (kànfǎ - view). Options B, C, and D use it incorrectly in terms of grammar or meaning.
What is the best translation for '个人隐私'?
‘个人’ (gèrén) means 'personal' or 'individual,' and '隐私' (yǐnsī) means 'privacy.' Together, they form 'personal privacy.'
In the sentence '这需要每个人的个人努力', '个人' is used redundantly.
The phrase '每个人的努力' (měi gè rén de nǔlì - everyone's effort) already conveys the meaning. Adding '个人' (gèrén) is redundant as '每个' (měi gè - every) already implies individuality. A more concise way would be '这需要每个人的努力' or '这需要每个人的付出'.
The sentence '他喜欢追求个人自由' (Tā xǐhuān zhuīqiú gèrén zìyóu) means 'He likes to pursue personal freedom'.
‘追求’ (zhuīqiú) means 'to pursue,' and ‘自由’ (zìyóu) means 'freedom.' Thus, '追求个人自由' correctly translates to 'to pursue personal freedom.'
When referring to 'personal information,' it is always correct to say '个人资料'.
‘个人资料’ (gèrén zīliào) is the standard and correct way to refer to 'personal information' or 'personal data' in Chinese.
The sentence discusses the importance of individual growth for societal progress.
The sentence contrasts team identity with individual styles.
The sentence is about making personal decisions.
Read this aloud:
请你谈谈你对个人隐私保护的看法。
Focus: 个人隐私 (gèrén yǐnsī)
あなたの回答：
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Read this aloud:
描述一下你心目中理想的个人职业发展道路。
Focus: 职业发展 (zhíyè fāzhǎn)
あなたの回答：
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Read this aloud:
在面对挑战时，你认为个人毅力起着怎样的作用？
Focus: 个人毅力 (gèrén yìlì)
あなたの回答：
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence means 'The development of society depends on individual effort.' '社会' (society) is the subject, '的' is a possessive particle, '发展' (development) is the object of '取决于' (depends on), and '个人 努力' (individual effort) is the direct object.
This sentence translates to 'This is her final personal choice.' '这' (this) is the subject, '是' (is) is the verb, and '她 最终 的 个人 选择' (her final personal choice) is the predicate.
This sentence means 'Everyone has a different personal definition of happiness.' '每个人' (everyone) is the subject, '都' (all) is an adverb, '对 幸福' (regarding happiness) is a prepositional phrase, '有' (has) is the verb, and '不同 的 个人 定义' (different personal definitions) is the object.
/ 42 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Use 个人 to talk about something that is specific to an individual.
- personal (adj.)
- individual (adj.)
- private (adj.)
Basic Meaning of 个人
个人 (gèrén) primarily means personal or individual. It’s used when you're talking about something belonging to or relating to a single person.
Using 个人 as an Adjective
You'll often see 个人 modifying nouns, similar to how personal or individual works in English. For example, 个人意见 (gèrén yìjiàn) means personal opinion.
Common Phrases with 个人
Memorize common phrases. 个人信息 (gèrén xìnxī) means personal information, and 个人物品 (gèrén wùpǐn) means personal belongings. These are very practical.
Distinguishing from 自己
While both relate to a person, 个人 emphasizes the individual aspect, often in contrast to a group or public. 自己 (zìjǐ) means oneself or self, focusing more on the agent of an action.
例文
这只是我个人意见，不代表公司立场。
関連コンテンツ
generalの関連語
一下儿
A1a bit, a moment
点儿
A1a little bit
有点儿
A1a little, somewhat (negative connotation)
一下
A2A bit; a moment (used after a verb).
一点儿
A1a little, a bit
一会儿
A1a moment, a while
一部分
B1part; portion; minority
异样
B1different; unusual; strange
关于
A1about, concerning
快要
A2to be about to (happen)
