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.
暗がりに人影が見えた。
I saw a figure in the darkness.
窓に人影が映った。
A silhouette appeared in the window.
遠くに人影がちらりと見えたが、すぐに消えた。
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.
人影のない通り。
A deserted street.
深夜の公園には人影がなかった。
There was no sign of anyone in the park late at night.
台風が近づいて、商店街から人影が消えた。
As the typhoon approached, the shopping street became deserted.
USAGE:
人影 is commonly used in narrative and descriptive writing. In sense 2, it frequently appears in negative constructions (人影がない, 人影が見えない) to describe empty or abandoned scenes.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 人影が見える: to see a figure
- 人影がない: no sign of people, deserted
- 人影が消える: people disappear (a place becomes deserted)
- 人影まばら: sparsely populated
WORD FORMATION:
人 (person) + 影 (shadow, figure).