citizen, commoner

民 is an ancient pictograph depicting an eye being pierced by a sharp needle or blade. Originally, 民 signified prisoners of war or slaves. In ancient times, rulers or captors would blind one eye of their captives to prevent them from rebelling or escaping, forcing them into submission to work in agriculture or animal husbandry. As slave societies dissolved over time, the meaning evolved into its modern definition: the general populace, common people, or citizens of a society.