Ren is the Mandarin word for person, but it can also mean humanity, or gentleness. The word was written in Wade-Boggs: "jen", and it is pronounced somewhere between "ren" and "jen". The node for person has the character for ren.

It is also used to denote a type of person, when proceeded by a verb. For example, airen means "loved person", or spouse.

Confucius believed that ren, meaning acting humanely, was the highest virtue.