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adjective / noun HSK 4
sī rén
private · personal · private individual

Meaning

私人 refers to things that are private, personal, or belong to individuals rather than the public or government. It can describe private property, personal matters, or individual persons as opposed to official entities.

Usage

Commonly used as an attributive adjective before nouns to indicate private ownership or personal nature (私人物品, 私人时间). In formal contexts, it can also refer to a private individual or civilian. Often contrasts with 公共 (public) or 官方 (official).

Examples

  1. 01
    这是我的私人时间，请不要打扰我。
    Zhè shì wǒ de sī rén shí jiān, qǐng bú yào dǎ rǎo wǒ.
    This is my private time, please don't disturb me.
  2. 02
    他开了一家私人诊所。
    Tā kāi le yī jiā sī rén zhěn suǒ.
    He opened a private clinic.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 私人物品
    sī rén wù pǐn
    personal belongings
  • 私人空间
    sī rén kōng jiān
    personal space
  • 私人企业
    sī rén qǐ yè
    private enterprise
  • 私人事务
    sī rén shì wù
    private affairs

Antonyms

Origin

Combines 私 (private/personal) with 人 (person), literally meaning 'private person' or relating to individuals rather than the collective or state.

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