Folks or People

by Nao

tami, min

Tami is people but it sounds archaic. Shimin, meaning citizens, is more common. The citizen of a nation is kokumin, of which the koku means a nation. Politicians often use it. They say, “kokumin no minasama” or “shimin no minasama.” Both address their fellow citizens. Minasama is a polite expression that means everybody.

If you want to contrast the public and private sectors, use kōkyō and minkan. The kyō of kōkyō means together; the kan of minkan means among.

Democracy is minshushugi. The shu of minshu means sovereignty and shugi means principles. Civil rights are kōminken. The civil rights movement is called “kōminkenun dō.” -> To see these phrases in Japanese, visit the supplementary page.

1. Draw the hook on the top.
2. Draw the lower side of the rectangle.
3. Draw the vertical stroke with an upward turn.
4. Draw the quasi-horizontal stroke.
5. Draw the curve with an upward turn.