1.
intellectual; learned person; thinker
A person of learning and knowledge who engages in critical thinking and intellectual discourse, often influencing public opinion through writing or commentary.
多くの知識人がこの問題に声を上げた。
Many intellectuals spoke out about this issue.
彼は著名な知識人として知られている。
He is known as a prominent intellectual.
戦後の日本では、知識人たちが社会の在り方について活発に議論した。
In postwar Japan, intellectuals actively debated the way society should be.
USAGE:
A compound of 知識 (knowledge) + 人 (person). Refers to someone recognized for their learning and intellectual contributions, often in academic, literary, or political spheres.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 著名な知識人 (prominent intellectual)
- 知識人の責任 (responsibility of intellectuals)
- 知識人層 (intellectual class)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 学者: scholar, academic — someone engaged in academic research
- 文化人: cultural figure — someone known for contributions to culture and the arts
- インテリ: intellectual (colloquial) — from the Russian "intelligentsiya"