Chinese word

穷人

Pronunciation

Pinyinqióng rén

Meaning

  • nounpoor person

Example

很多穷人需要帮助。hěn duō qióng rén xū yào bāng zhù

Many poor people need help.

Illustration for 穷人 (poor person)

More examples

社会应该关心并帮助穷人。shè huì yīng gāi guān xīn bìng bāng zhù qióng rén

Society should care about and help poor people.

Core concept

A person living with too little money and basic support to keep ordinary choices open.

Common phrases

  • 帮助穷人bāng zhù qióng rén

    help poor people

  • 同情穷人tóng qíng qióng rén

    feel sympathy for poor people

  • 照顾穷人zhào gù qióng rén

    take care of poor people

Similar words

贫穷pín qióng: A state of lacking enough money or basic necessities for daily life.
贫困pín kùn: A condition of hardship caused by lacking resources needed for living and development.
贫民pín mín: People who are economically disadvantaged within a society or community.

Definition in Chinese

指生活条件较差、缺乏足够经济资源以维持正常生活的人，常用于描述贫困的个人或群体情况。zhǐ shēng huó tiáo jiàn jiào chà quē fá zú gòu jīng jì zī yuán yǐ wéi chí zhèng cháng shēng huó de rén cháng yòng yú miáo shù pín kùn de gè rén huò qún tǐ qíng kuàng

Word origin

穷 (qióng, "lacking resources") + 人 (rén, "person") literally joins a condition of shortage to the word for a person.

Usage tips

  • This noun often appears in discussions of aid, inequality, or public policy when referring to a group, but context matters because the label can sound impersonal for one individual.

Other meanings

  • the poornoun

Opposites

  • 富人fù rénrich personnoun
  • 有钱人yǒu qián rénwealthy personnoun

Related words

  • 穷困qióng kùnimpoverishedadjective
  • 穷苦qióng kǔpoverty-strickenadjective
  • 穷光蛋qióng guāng dànpaupernoun

Word lists with this word