also: にんとう
number of people; population
Used in formal or statistical contexts to refer to a count of people, such as in demographics or head counts.
The population of this area is decreasing year by year.
human head
Only with reading じんとう
Refers literally to the head of a human being; used in anatomical, forensic, or artistic contexts. Restricted to reading じんとう.
A skeletal specimen of a human head is on display.
poll tax; head tax
Standard kanji spelling for both senses; reading じんとう is more common.
Alternate reading for the 'number of people' sense; less common than じんとう.
Compound of 人 (person) and 頭 (head). The 'number of people' sense derives from counting heads, while the literal sense refers to a human head.