Chinese word

路人

Pronunciation

Pinyinlù rén

Meaning

  • nounpasserby

Example

事故现场有很多路人在围观。shì gù xiàn chǎng yǒu hěn duō lù rén zài wéi guān

Many passersby are gathered around the accident scene, watching.

Illustration for 路人 (passerby)

More examples

路人的证词对案件很重要。lù rén de zhèng cí duì àn jiàn hěn zhòng yào

The testimony of the passerby is important to the case.

Core concept

An ordinary person in a public place who is outside the event but may pause to watch it.

Common phrases

  • 无辜的路人wú gū de lù rén

    innocent passerby

  • 旁观的路人páng guān de lù rén

    onlooking passerby

Similar words

行人xíng rén: A person walking along a street or sidewalk.
过路人guò lù rén: A person who happens to be passing by a place.
目击者mù jī zhě: A person who directly sees an event.
旁观者páng guān zhě: A person who watches an event from nearby without taking part.

Definition in Chinese

在街道、广场等公共场所行走或停留的普通行人，多用于指非当事的局外人或围观者。zài jiē dào guáng chǎng děng gōng gòng cháng suǒ xíng zǒu huò tíng liú de pǔ tōng xíng rén duō yòng yú zhǐ fēi dāng shì de jú wài rén huò wéi guān zhě

Word origin

路 (lù, "road") + 人 (rén, "person") combines as a person on the road, then extends to someone uninvolved in an event.

Usage tips

  • The word can refer to one person or a crowd depending on context, while English often makes that number more explicit.

Other meanings

  • spectatornoun
  • bystandernoun
  • third partynoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 路人甲lù rén jiǎanonymous passerbynoun

Word lists with this word