When combined, 小人 (xiǎo rén) literally translates to “small person.” However, the “smallness” refers not to physical stature but to one's spirit, mind, and moral character. It implies a person with a “small heart” (小心眼 - xiǎoxīnyǎn), incapable of generosity, forgiveness, or thinking of the greater good.
The concept of the 小人 (xiǎo rén) is central to understanding Chinese social ethics, largely because of its role in Confucianism. It is defined by its direct opposition to the 君子 (jūnzǐ), the “noble person” or “gentleman.” Confucius famously distinguished the two: 君子喻于义，小人喻于利 (Jūnzǐ yù yú yì, xiǎorén yù yú lì) — “The noble person understands righteousness; the petty person understands profit.”
Comparison to Western Culture: While we have words like “jerk,” “asshole,” or “villain” in English, 小人 (xiǎo rén) is different. A “jerk” might be rude but not necessarily scheming. A “villain” is often an epic, openly evil antagonist. A 小人 (xiǎo rén), however, is more insidious and common in everyday life. They are the colleague who subtly sabotages your project, the “friend” who spreads your secrets, or the relative who is nice to your face but complains about you behind your back. The concept focuses on a contemptible lack of virtue and integrity in everyday social interactions.
The term 小人 (xiǎo rén) is alive and well in modern China, used to describe people and their actions in various contexts.