Is１人 always ひとり?


This sentence appeared in
[Mainichi](https://mainichi.jp/articles/20210821/k00/00m/040/127000c) the
other day:

[1人]【ひとり】のために[10人]【じゅうにん】の未来【みらい】をつぶしていいんですか

Is it okay to destroy the future of ten people for the sake of one person?

Is the reading of 1人 in this case really【ひとり】?

[Jisho](https://jisho.org/search/1%E4%BA%BA) gives a number of other choices,
and I figure they must be good for something:

[１人]【ひとり】  
独り【ひとり】  
一人【いちにん】  
[１人]【いちにん】




If it is written with the Arabic numeral, then yes, it should be ひとり.

[A dictionary](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/srch/jn/%E4%B8%80%E4%BA%BA/m1u/)
lists three readings for 一人

  1. いちじん : the Emperor
  2. いちにん : the same as ひとり
  3. ひとり : one person

(See the link for precise meanings)

I think 1 and 2 are not in use today. So as long as you are dealing with
modern texts, you can assume 一人 is ひとり.




If it is written with the Arabic numeral, then yes, it should be ひとり.

[A dictionary](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/srch/jn/%E4%B8%80%E4%BA%BA/m1u/)
lists three readings for 一人

  1. いちじん : the Emperor
  2. いちにん : the same as ひとり
  3. ひとり : one person

(See the link for precise meanings)

I think 1 and 2 are not in use today. So as long as you are dealing with
modern texts, you can assume 一人 is ひとり.

