他人（たにん、tanin）
- other person

The Japanese word 他人 (たにん) primarily means "other people," "others," or "stranger(s)." It refers to individuals who are not oneself, one's family, or close acquaintances. It highlights the distinction between oneself and those outside of one's immediate circle. The focus is on the "otherness" of these individuals. 他人 implies a certain degree of distance or detachment.

⚫︎彼は他人のようにふるまった。 Translation: He acted as if he were a stranger. ⚫︎他人の迷惑になることをしないでください。 Translation: Please don't do anything that bothers other people. ⚫︎他人のことは気にしないで、自分のことをやりなさい。 Translation: Don't worry about what others think; just do your own thing.

他人 is used in various contexts to refer to anyone who is not directly involved in the situation at hand. It can be used in formal and informal situations. It's often employed to emphasize the actions or opinions of those outside of a specific group, or to describe a sense of detachment from others. The usage is straightforward; the context usually makes it clear who 他人 refers to.

The word 他人 is typically written with the kanji 他人. The reading is たにん in hiragana. There are no other standard ways to write this word. Okurigana (the suffix hiragana) is not applicable.

⚫︎ 人々 (people): A more general term for people. ⚫︎ ほかの人 (other people): A direct and often synonymous phrase. ⚫︎ よそ者 (よそもの) (outsider): Can imply a sense of foreignness or being unfamiliar.

⚫︎ 自分 (oneself): The direct opposite. ⚫︎ 家族 (family): One's immediate close circle. ⚫︎ 仲間 (nakama) (comrades, friends): People belonging to the same group or the same circle of friends.

彼は他人に冷たい。 ・Translation: He is cold to other people. ・Explanation: This sentence describes someone who isn't friendly or empathetic towards those outside their close relationships.

あの人のことは他人事だと思わないでください。 ・Translation: Please don't think of that person's problem as someone else's problem. ・Explanation: This sentence encourages empathy and involvement, implying that someone's situation shouldn't be disregarded as irrelevant to oneself.

The word 他人 is formed from the kanji 他 meaning "other" or "another," and 人 meaning "person" or "people." It literally translates to "other people."