人
rén · HSK 1
person
🚶 Pictograph of two legs walking — a person on the move
人 is one of the oldest Chinese characters: a simple stick-figure of legs striding. The sound rén rhymes with English 'wren' — a small creature, easy verbal hook for 'person'.
人 — pictograph of a standing person
人 is a pictograph showing a person viewed from the side, with two strokes representing the legs and torso of a standing human. In oracle bone script it clearly depicted a figure leaning slightly forward. The meaning has remained 'person' or 'human' throughout its history.