人士
rénshì · HSK 5
person
👤 人 person + 士 scholar/gentleman = notable person
士 originally meant a learned man or warrior of rank; paired with 人 it elevates the generic person into someone of public standing. Common in formal contexts like 知名人士 (well-known figure) or 民主人士 (democratic personage).
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.