1 [pl] more than one person 人；人们: How many people are coming to the party? 这个聚会有多少人要来参加？ ☞Be careful. People is almost always used instead of the plural form persons. Persons is very formal and is usually used in legal language Persons under the age of sixteen are not permitted to buy cigarettes. 注意：people一词几乎总是用于代替persons这个复数形式。persons为非常正式的词，通常用于法律用语：Persons under the age of sixteen are not permitted to buy cigarettes.十六岁以下者不准购买香烟。

2 [C] (plural peoples) (formal 正式) all the men, women and children who belong to a particular place or race 人民；民族；种族: The President addressed the American people. 总统向美国人民发表演说。the French-speaking peoples of the world 世界上说法语的民族

3 [pl] men and women who work in a particular activity 从事某项活动的人: business/sports people 商界╱体育界人士

4 the people [pl] the ordinary citizens of a country （一个国家的）国民，民众，寻常百姓: The President is popular because he listens to the people. 这位总统很得民心，因为他倾听民众意见。