Japanese Conversation · Level 18
90 words
Japanese word
三人
Pronunciation
Romajisannin
Meaning
- nounthree people
Example
教室に三人います。kyō shitsu ni san nin i ma su
There are three people in the classroom.
More examples
参加者は三人だけです。san ka sha wa san nin da ke de su
There are only three participants.
Core concept
Describes a group whose total number of people is three.
Common phrases
三人でsan nin de
as a group of three
三人ともsan nin to mo
all three people
三人分san nin bun
for three people
Similar words
三名sanmei: A formal expression for a group consisting of three people.
Definition in Japanese
人が三人いること。また、その三人。hito ga san nin i ru ko to ma ta so no san nin
Word origin
The word 三人 (sannin, "three people") joins 三 (san, "three") with 人 (nin, "person"), whose reading nin is used when counting people.
Usage tips
- The reading 三人 (sannin, "three people") is regular, while the common forms for one person and two people are 一人 (hitori, "one person") and 二人 (futari, "two people").