人ひとけ

noun

human presence; sign of people

Usually appears in negative expressions such as 人けがない or 人けのない, meaning that no people seem to be around.

• 夜よるの駅えき前まえは人ひとけがなかった。

  There was no sign of people in front of the station at night.

noun

humanity; humaneness

Only with reading ひとげ

Rare and old-fashioned as an independent noun; modern Japanese more often uses 人間味 or 人情.

• 古ふるい文ぶん章しょうでは、「ひとげ」が人にん間げんらしい情なさけを指さすことがある。

  In old writing, ひとげ can refer to human feeling or compassion.