person; personage; figure (esp. sb of importance) · character (in a play, novel etc) · (genre of traditional Chinese painting) figure painting

Whether the characters in a book are real or completely imaginary, they can become your friends and companions.

We regard him as an important man.

Bill is still a legendary figure in this company.

When public figures, constrained by their social standing and the pressures of public opinion, face open insults, they can only tolerate and endure them, letting the spit on their face dry by itself.

By turning the page, we can dismiss the characters in a book without fear of hurting their feelings.