Meaning
人流 primarily means a stream or flow of people moving through a place, describing crowds and foot traffic. In medical contexts, it's also a euphemistic term for induced abortion (人工流产 shortened). The literal meaning combines 'people' and 'flow' to create the image of people moving like water through spaces.
Usage
Commonly used in urban planning, retail, and transportation contexts to describe pedestrian density and movement patterns. When discussing business locations, high 人流 is desirable. In medical settings, it's the standard polite term for abortion procedures, avoiding more direct language.
Examples
- 01这个商场位置好，人流量很大。, .This mall has a great location with very high foot traffic.
- 02节假日景区的人流特别密集。.The flow of people at scenic spots is especially dense during holidays.
Characters
Measure words
- 股一股人流
- 波一波人流
Common collocations
- 人流量volume of pedestrian traffic
- 人流密集dense crowd, heavy foot traffic
- 做人流to have an abortion
- 人流高峰peak pedestrian traffic hours
Origin
Compound word combining 人 (people) with 流 (flow). The medical meaning derives from abbreviating 人工流产 (induced abortion), which literally means 'artificial flow/discharge of pregnancy'.