lǎo bǎi xìng
common people; civilians
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老百姓都希望过安定的生活。
lǎo bǎi xìnɡ dōu xī wànɡ ɡuò ān dìnɡ de shēnɡ huó .
The common people want a stable life.
老百姓都渴望和平。
lǎo bǎi xìnɡ dōu kě wànɡ hé pínɡ .
The people want peace.
老百姓享有平等的权利。
lǎo bǎi xìnɡ xiǎnɡ yǒu pínɡ děnɡ de quán lì .
The common people enjoy equal rights.
百姓 (bǎixìng)
common people
老百姓 (lǎobǎixìng)
the masses
达官贵人 (dáguān guìrén)
high officials and dignitaries
上层人士 (shàngcéng rénshì)
upper-class people
The Chinese word 老百姓 (lǎobǎixìng) is a compound word consisting of two characters: 老 (lǎo) and 百姓 (bǎixìng). The character 老 (lǎo) means "old" or "elderly", while the character 百姓 (bǎixìng) means "the common people" or "the masses". Together, the two characters 老百姓 literally mean "the old hundred surnames", which is a reference to the fact that in ancient China, surnames were often passed down from generation to generation, and the elderly were considered to be the heads of households. Over time, the term 老百姓 came to be used more broadly to refer to the general population, regardless of age or social status. Today, it is one of the most common ways to refer to the Chinese people as a whole.
