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noun HSK 5
gōng mín
citizen · national

Meaning

公民 refers to a person who legally belongs to a country and has the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. It emphasizes the legal and political status of an individual within a state, with associated civil rights and duties.

Usage

This term is used in formal, legal, and political contexts. It appears frequently in official documents, news reports, and discussions about rights and responsibilities. Native speakers use it when discussing civic duties, voting rights, or legal status rather than in casual everyday conversation about people.

Examples

  1. 01
    每个公民都有投票的权利。
    Měi gè gōng mín dōu yǒu tóu piào de quán lì.
    Every citizen has the right to vote.
  2. 02
    作为公民，我们应该遵守国家的法律。
    Zuò wéi gōng mín, wǒ men yīng gāi zūn shǒu guó jiā de fǎ lǜ.
    As citizens, we should obey the laws of the country.

Characters

Measure words

  • 个gè一个公民
  • 位wèi一位公民

Common collocations

  • 公民权
    gōng mín quán
    civil rights
  • 公民义务
    gōng mín yì wù
    civic duty
  • 合法公民
    hé fǎ gōng mín
    lawful citizen
  • 公民社会
    gōng mín shè huì
    civil society

Origin

The word combines 公 (public) and 民 (people), literally meaning 'public people.' This modern term was adopted in the early 20th century to translate Western concepts of citizenship and civic participation.

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