民族
mínzú · HSK 3
ethnic minority/group
👥 民 = the people + 族 = clan/tribe → a people-group
民 means common people or citizens; 族 means clan, tribe, or family group. Together they denote a shared ethnic or national group. Same 族 appears in 家族 (family clan) and 部族 (tribe).
族 — banner 㫃 + arrow 矢
族 originally depicted arrows 矢 gathered under a banner 㫃, representing a military unit or clan rallying under one flag. From this image of people united under a common standard, the meaning extended to family, tribe, and ethnic group.