眾

Denotes a gathering of people. Unlike 多 (duō), which is a general quantifier for any object, 眾 is specifically human-oriented. Its meaning typically scales across three levels: numerical ("many," "numerous"), physical ("a crowd," "a multitude"), and social/political ("the masses," "the public," "the commonality").

May function as a quantifier/modifier used to describe a large number of people, or as a collective noun referring to the crowd as a single entity or social class.

While both refer to groups, 群 (qún) generally implies a cohesive unit, curated circle, or flock; 眾 tends toward an amorphous, undifferentiated mass. In early philosophical texts, 眾 often carries normative weight, frequently positioned in tension with the individual (the sage, ruler, or enlightened) as "the commonality."

Variants include 衆 (functionally identical) and the simplified form 众.

In short phrases (such as 眾之...), be alert to whether 眾 is acting as the subject ("The multitude's...") or as a modifier ("Many of the..."). The surrounding syntax will determine if it is functioning as a noun or an adjective.