In Chinese society, the concept of a 居民 is more structured than the English “resident.” It's often tied to a specific administrative unit and carries a sense of belonging to an organized community. A key cultural point is the Household Registration System (户口 - hùkǒu). Historically and to this day, a person is officially registered as a 居民 of a specific place. This registration affects access to social services like education, healthcare, and housing in that area. Therefore, being a 居民 of a major city like Beijing or Shanghai is a formal status with significant implications. This contrasts with the Western concept of a “resident,” which is often a more fluid term defined simply by where you currently live and pay taxes. In China, where you are a registered 居民 can define your opportunities. Furthermore, urban life is often organized around the Residents' Committee (居民委员会 - jūwěihuì), or 居委会 (jūwěihuì) for short. This is a grassroots government-affiliated body that manages local affairs, mediates disputes, and communicates government policies to the local 居民. This formal community structure gives the term 居民 a layer of administrative and social meaning that “resident” in English lacks.
居民 is a neutral and widely used term, appropriate in both formal and informal contexts.
The most critical mistake for learners is confusing 居民 (jūmín) with similar-sounding but distinct concepts.