人情 rénqíng human emotions
human emotions; social relationship; friendship; favor; a good turn
How to remember 人情: 人 person + 情 feeling = human emotions.
Characters
How it is used
- A social debt / favor within the web of relationships - 我欠他一个人情 (wǒ qiàn tā yīgè rénqíng) I owe him a favor.
- Central to Chinese social life: 人情 is reciprocal obligation; 做个人情 (do sb a favor), 还人情 (repay a favor).
- Also 'human feeling / sentiment' broadly, as in 不近人情 (bú jìn rénqíng, unreasonable, lacking human warmth).
Example sentences
- 你欠我一个人情。 Nǐ qiàn wǒ yígè rénqíng.You owe me a favor.