---
title: "Xiaoren Meaning: 小人 (xiǎorén) Means “mean person”"
description: "小人 (xiǎorén) means “mean person; villain; petty person”. Hear its tones, see what 小 and 人 each mean and a real sentence that uses it."
canonical: "https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/xiaoren"
published: "2026-10-21"
updated: "2026-11-06"
author: "Mandarin The Wild"
---

[What does it mean in Chinese?](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning)

# What does 小人 mean?

猫头鹰māotóuyīngowl

小人 xiǎorén

## mean person; villain; petty person

## It can also mean

- little figure; tiny person (画个小人, 小人国)
- common people; people of low status
- (humble) I (used by a commoner)

## Its characters

1. 小 xiǎo small
2. 人 rén person

## In a sentence

孩子在纸上画了一个小人。 The child drew a little figure on the paper.

她从河边抓起一把黄泥，照着自己的样子，做了一个**小人**。

From [女娲补天 · Nüwa mends the sky](https://mandarinthewild.com/library/read/nuwa-mends-the-sky#library-word-114-116)

[More about 小人](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%B0%8F%E4%BA%BA)

## More words with 小 or 人

- [爱人 àiren](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/airen)
- [本人 běnrén](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/benren)
- [别人 biéren](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/bieren)
- [病人 bìngrén](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/bingren)
- [成人 chéngrén](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/chengren)
- [创始人 chuàngshǐrén](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/chuangshiren)
- [从小 cóngxiǎo](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/congxiao)
- [打工人 dǎgōngrén](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/dagongren)
- [代理人 dàilǐrén](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/dailiren)
- [当事人 dāngshìrén](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/dangshiren)

## Keep 小人 for Review

A free account keeps it, and Review brings it back just before you’d forget it.

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