民族 mínzú nationality
nationality; ethnic group
How to remember 民族: 民 citizens + 族 clan = nationality.
Characters
How it is used
- Ethnic group / nationality (a people) - 少数民族 (shǎoshù mínzú) ethnic minority; 中华民族 the Chinese nation.
- 民 (people) + 族 (clan/race); refers to an ethnic/national group, not citizenship papers.
- Contrast 国籍 (guójí), your legal nationality/citizenship; 民族 is ethnicity/peoplehood (Han, Tibetan, etc.).
Example sentences
- 她是少数民族。 Tā shì shǎoshù mínzú.She is an ethnic minority.