1.
crowd; throng; mob
A large gathering of people, often in a public space. Can be neutral or carry negative connotations of an uncontrolled or anonymous mass.
群衆が広場に集まった。
A crowd gathered in the plaza.
群衆の中で迷子になりそうだった。
I almost got lost in the crowd.
警察は興奮した群衆を抑えるのに苦労した。
The police struggled to control the agitated crowd.
A somewhat formal or literary word for a large gathering of people. In everyday speech, 人込み or 人だかり are more common for neutral crowds.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 群衆が集まる (a crowd gathers)
- 群衆に紛れる (to blend into the crowd)
- 群衆心理 (mob mentality)
USAGE NOTE:
群衆 often appears in news reports and literary contexts. It can imply an anonymous, faceless mass and is commonly used when describing demonstrations, riots, or large public events.