小人 is the opposite of 君子 (jūnzǐ, gentleman/noble person) in Confucian thought. A 小人 is morally base, self-serving, and scheming. This is a deeply rooted Chinese cultural concept.
mistakes
Don't confuse with 小人儿 (xiǎorénr), which means a small figurine or cartoon character. The tone and context are very different.
