people 与persons的区别 people和persons的区别

一、词义辨析不一样
1、people指的是广义上的，指世间的人，大数目或数目不确定的人。
例：Who are those people standing over there?
那边站着的是些什么人?
2、 person往往指的是狭义上的,指个别的人，小数目或数目确定的人，persons用来指一个一个可数的人。
例：Who are those persons standing over there?
那边站着的是哪几个人?

二、词义广泛性不一样
1、people
英 ['piːp(ə)l] 美 ['pipl]

n. 人；人类；民族；公民
vt. 居住于；使住满人
2、persons
英 [ˈpɜːsnz] 美 [ˈpɜrsənz]
n.人；个人；某人；从事…工作(或担任…职务)的人；人员
三、变形词不一样
1、people
第三人称单数： peoples 复数： peoples 现在分词： peopling 过去式： peopled 过去分词： peopled
2、person
复数： people、persons

下面这段摘自《牛津英汉双解词典》电子版。
NOTE
ON
USAGE
用法:
Compare
person,
persons,
people
and
peoples.
比较person、persons、people、peoples的用法.
1
People
is
the
most
usual
plural
of
person.
*people是person最通用的复数形式.
Persons
is
formal
and
mostly
used
in
legal
language.
*persons较文,
主要作法律用语.
2
Person
can
also
sound
formal
and
is
often
avoided.
*person有时也较文,
通常避免使用.
In
general
statements,
the
sentence
can
be
made
plural
在泛指时,
此词在句中可用其复数形式:
A
person
has
the
right
to
defend
himself/People
have
the
right
to
defend
themselves.
人人均有自卫权.
When
referring
to
a
particular
situation,
we
can
say
I
saw
someone/a
man/a
woman
riding
a
horse
instead
of
I
saw
a
person
riding
a
horse.
在特指时,
可以说‘我看见有个人[男的/女的]骑着马’（英文句中可以不用person,
用someone/a
man/a
woman）.
3
People
is
also
a
singular
noun
(plural
peoples)
meaning
`nation',
`tribe'
or
`race'
*people作‘民族’、‘部落’或‘种族’解时,
是单数名词（复数是peoples）:
The
Ancient
Egyptians
were
a
fascinating
people.
古埃及人是个令人神往的民族.
*
the
French-speaking
peoples
of
the
world
世界上说法语的民族.