How to Write 民 (mín) — Meaning “people / citizens”

Imagine a person holding a flag, with the top stroke as the flagpole and the bottom part as the waving cloth. The shape looks like a person standing firmly, representing "the people" united. This visual helps link the simple 5-stroke form to its meaning.

Start with a horizontal stroke, then a vertical hook; the third stroke is a horizontal line under the hook, followed by a slanted stroke and finally a short horizontal. A common mistake is making the vertical hook too long, which distorts the proportion—the bottom should be slightly wider than the top. Keep the final two strokes compact and balanced.

民 has an extra horizontal stroke and a slanted line at the bottom, while 氏 (shì, clan) lacks that bottom component and is simpler. 氐 (dǐ, foundation) adds a dot at the bottom of 氏. In meaning, 民 refers to people, 氏 to family names, and 氐 is rare, used in ancient terms or as a component.

民 appears in common words like 人民 (the people) and 农民 (farmer), often in political or social contexts. In Chinese culture, 民 emphasizes the collective, as in the phrase "以人为本" (people-oriented). It is also part of the name of the Republic of China (民国), reflecting its historical significance.

Common words containing 民 include: 人民 (rén mín) — the people; 农民 (nóng mín) — Farmer; 民用 (mín yòng) — civilian use / civil.