军人 (jūn rén) literally combines 军 (jūn), meaning 'army' or 'military', and 人 (rén), meaning 'person'. Together, it refers to a person who serves in a country's armed forces — a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine. It is a formal, respectful, and gender-neutral term used in official contexts, news reports, and everyday speech when referring to active-duty service members.

The word emphasizes institutional affiliation rather than combat role: it includes officers and enlisted personnel across all branches, but excludes veterans (who are 退伍军人) and civilians working for the military. In Chinese society, 军人 carries positive connotations of discipline, duty, and patriotism, often appearing in phrases like 军人家庭 (military family) or 军人待遇 (military benefits). It is not used for paramilitary or police forces — those are 警察 or 武警.