personnel
Definitions
The people employed in an organization or armed force.
全体员工；（军队的）人员
The department that manages staff (HR).
人事部门
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedpersonnel is a French-shaped relative of person, meaning 'the persons (collectively)' who make up a workforce. The French ending and the stress on the last syllable (per-son-NEL) are clues that it came in through French, unlike the plain English person.
Root person still carries 15 more wordsUsage Guide
- Stress trap: stress the last syllable — per-son-NEL — unlike PER-son.
- Number: treated as a plural noun ('personnel are required to sign in'); it has no '-s' plural.
- Register (formal): common in business, military, and official notices ('authorized personnel only').
- Don't confuse with personal (adj., 'private'): personnel = staff; personal = your own.
Example Sentences
- 1.
All new personnel must complete a safety briefing before starting.
- 2.
Military personnel were deployed to help with the rescue.
- 3.
Contact the personnel department about your contract.
Easily Confused
personnel vs personal — only one letter and a stress apart, but personnel (per-son-NEL) = the staff of an organization (noun), while personal (PER-son-al) = private, your own (adjective). 'personnel file' = your staff record; 'personal file' = your private folder.