人类 (rén lèi) — humanity in Mandarin
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#439 most common word · HSK 5 · CEFR B2
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
人类 is pronounced rén lèi. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
Huánbǎo shì quán rénlèi de zérèn.
Environmental protection is the responsibility of all humanity.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 人类 mean?+
人类 (rén lèi) means "humanity" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 人类?+
人类 is pronounced rén lèi. It uses the tone 2 (rising), then the tone 4 (falling). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 人类 in Mandarin?+
人类 is the #439 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 人类 fits
Every HSK 5 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.
Words at a similar frequency
Master the tones first
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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