人影(ひとかげ)

ひとかげ
noun
figure of a person; sign of people
1. figure of a person; silhouette; shadow of a person
The outline or shape of a person, often seen from a distance, in dim light, or as a shadow.
暗(くら)がりに人影(ひとかげ)が見(み)えた。
I saw a figure in the darkness.
窓(まど)に人影(ひとかげ)が映(うつ)った。
A silhouette appeared in the window.
遠(とお)くに人影(ひとかげ)がちらりと見(み)えたが、すぐに消(き)えた。
I caught a glimpse of a figure in the distance, but it quickly disappeared.
2. sign of people; presence of people
An indication that people are (or are not) present in an area. Often used in the negative to describe an empty, deserted place.
人影(ひとかげ)のない通(とお)り。
A deserted street.
深夜(しんや)の公園(こうえん)には人影(ひとかげ)がなかった。
There was no sign of anyone in the park late at night.
台風(たいふう)が近(ちか)づいて、商店街(しょうてんがい)から人影(ひとかげ)が消(き)えた。
As the typhoon approached, the shopping street became deserted.

Usage

人影(ひとかげ) is commonly used in narrative and descriptive writing. In sense 2, it frequently appears in negative constructions (人影(ひとかげ)がない, 人影(ひとかげ)が見(み)えない) to describe empty or abandoned scenes.

Common collocations

Forms

人(ひと) (person) + 影(かげ) (shadow, figure).

general
Added 2026.3.11 13:36 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
16000/16212_hitokage