Meaning
路人 refers to people who happen to be walking past or present in a public place, typically strangers with no particular connection to you or the situation. It literally means 'road person' and describes random people you encounter in daily life on the street.
Usage
This word is commonly used when describing witnesses to events, random people in public spaces, or when emphasizing someone's lack of personal connection. In modern internet slang, it can also mean someone who is neutral or uninvolved in a situation or fandom. Often appears in the pattern '路人甲乙丙' (passerby A, B, C) to describe anonymous extras.
Examples
- 01事故发生时，有几个路人看见了整个过程。, .When the accident happened, several passersby witnessed the whole process.
- 02他们以前是好朋友，现在已经变成路人了。, .They used to be good friends, but now they've become strangers.
Characters
Measure words
- 个一个路人
- 位几位路人
Common collocations
- 路人甲passerby A (anonymous person, extra)
- 普通路人ordinary passerby
- 路人缘appeal to the general public (celebrity context)
- 变成路人to become strangers
Antonyms
Origin
Compound word combining 路 (road) and 人 (person), literally meaning 'person on the road,' dating back to classical Chinese where it described travelers or people encountered along one's path.