此人 literally means 'this person' — 此 (cǐ) means 'this', and 人 (rén) means 'person'. Together, they form a formal, written-style noun phrase used to refer to a specific person previously mentioned or clearly identifiable from context. It is more common in formal writing, news reports, legal documents, or academic texts than in casual speech, where people usually say 这个人 (zhè gè rén) instead.

The term carries a slightly detached or objective tone — it often appears when the speaker wants to maintain neutrality, emphasize identity without emotional involvement, or avoid repetition of a proper name. While grammatically equivalent to 'this person', 此人 is rarely used in questions or exclamations and never as a subject in everyday conversation. Its usage reflects Chinese stylistic preferences for concision and register-appropriate vocabulary in formal registers.