国民
guómín · HSK 5
citizen
🧑🤝🧑 国民 = 国 country + 民 people
国 means country or nation; 民 means people or populace. Together 国民 literally reads as country-people, i.e. the citizens of a nation. Same 民 appears in 人民 (people) and 农民 (farmer).
国 — enclosure 囗 + jade 玉
国 is a simplified form of 國. The outer 囗 represents borders or an enclosed territory, while the inner 玉 (jade) suggests a treasured realm ruled by a sovereign. The traditional 國 used 或 inside, depicting a guarded region with a weapon, later simplified by replacing it with 玉.