| Next revision | Previous revision |
| 孤单 [2025/08/13 23:24] – created xiaoer | 孤单 [2025/08/17 12:33] (current) – created xiaoer |
|---|
| ====== gūdān: 孤单 - Lonely, Solitary ====== | ====== gūdān: 孤单 - Lonely, Solitary ====== |
| ===== Quick Summary ===== | ===== Quick Summary ===== |
| * **Keywords:** gudan, 孤单, Chinese for lonely, how to say lonely in Chinese, gudan meaning, solitary in Chinese, gudan vs jimo, loneliness in Chinese culture, Mandarin lonely | * **Keywords:** gudan, 孤单, meaning of gudan, lonely in Chinese, solitary in Chinese, how to say I'm lonely in Chinese, gudan vs jimo, 孤单是什么意思, Chinese word for feeling alone, solitude in Chinese. |
| * **Summary:** Learn the Chinese word for lonely, **孤单 (gūdān)**. This guide explains how **gūdān** describes the feeling of sadness that comes from being physically alone or solitary. We'll break down the characters, explore its cultural significance, and contrast it with the similar but distinct concept of **寂寞 (jìmò)**. With 10 practical example sentences, you'll understand how to use **gūdān** to express loneliness in everyday conversation. | * **Summary:** Learn the meaning and usage of **孤单** (gūdān), a common Chinese adjective for feeling lonely or solitary. This page breaks down the characters, explores the cultural importance of togetherness in China, and provides 10 practical example sentences. Discover the crucial difference between **孤单** (gūdān), which often describes loneliness from being physically alone, and its close relative 寂寞 (jìmò), the loneliness one can feel even in a crowd. This guide is perfect for beginners wanting to express this nuanced emotion accurately. |
| ===== Core Meaning ===== | ===== Core Meaning ===== |
| * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** gūdān | * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** gūdān |
| * **Part of Speech:** Adjective | * **Part of Speech:** Adjective |
| * **HSK Level:** HSK 4 | * **HSK Level:** HSK 4 |
| * **Concise Definition:** To be alone and feel lonely; solitary and sad. | * **Concise Definition:** To be lonely, often as a result of being physically alone. |
| * **In a Nutshell:** **孤单 (gūdān)** is the type of loneliness you feel because you are physically by yourself. It emphasizes the state of being solitary and the negative emotion that accompanies it. Think of a child home alone, a traveler in a new city with no friends, or an elderly person whose family is away. It's a situational loneliness tied to a lack of company. | * **In a Nutshell:** **孤单** (gūdān) describes the feeling of loneliness that stems from an objective state of solitude. It's the feeling you have when you are by yourself and wish for company. Think of a child home alone, an elderly person whose family is away, or being the only person in a coffee shop on a rainy day. It's more about the external situation (being by oneself) leading to an internal feeling (loneliness). |
| ===== Character Breakdown ===== | ===== Character Breakdown ===== |
| * **孤 (gū):** This character originally meant "orphan." It is composed of a child (子) and a melon (瓜), perhaps evoking a sense of being singular or cut off from the vine. Today, its core meaning is "alone," "solitary," or "isolated." | * **孤 (gū):** This character is composed of 子 (zǐ - child) and 瓜 (guā - melon). Its original meaning was "orphan" or "fatherless child." This root meaning of being a child left alone powerfully extends to the modern sense of being solitary, isolated, or alone. |
| * **单 (dān):** This character means "single," "sole," or "odd (as in an odd number)." It depicts a single unit. | * **单 (dān):** This character originally depicted a type of forked hunting weapon. Its meaning evolved to represent something "single," "sole," "individual," or an odd number. |
| * When combined, **孤单 (gūdān)** literally means "solitary-single." The two characters reinforce each other to create a strong sense of being physically alone and the resulting feeling of sadness. | * By combining **孤** (solitary, like an orphan) and **单** (single, one), the word **孤单** (gūdān) creates a strong, vivid image of being completely and utterly alone. |
| ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== | ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== |
| * In China's highly collectivist culture, group harmony and social connection are paramount. Being part of a family, a group of friends, or a work unit is the default and desired state. Consequently, being **孤单 (gūdān)** is often viewed more negatively than "solitude" might be in the West. | * In a largely collectivist culture like China, being part of a group—be it family, a company, or a circle of friends—is fundamental to one's identity and well-being. The social fabric is woven with concepts like [[guanxi|关系 (guānxi)]] (connections) and [[jitizhuyi|集体主义 (jítǐzhǔyì)]] (collectivism). |
| * **Comparison with Western "Solitude":** In Western cultures, choosing to be alone for reflection, creativity, or peace (solitude) can be seen as a positive and healthy practice. **孤单 (gūdān)** rarely carries this positive connotation. It almost always implies an undesirable state of isolation and a longing for companionship. A person who is **孤单** is seen as pitiable, lacking the crucial social network that defines a well-adjusted life in Chinese society. | * Consequently, being **孤单** (gūdān) is often viewed more negatively than in individualistic Western cultures. While Western thought might romanticize "solitude" as a chosen state for creativity or reflection, the default assumption for **孤单** in a Chinese context is that it is an unfortunate, undesirable state of being outside the supportive social network. To be alone is to be vulnerable and disconnected from the collective, which is the primary source of strength and support. |
| * This feeling is a common theme in modern China, especially concerning "left-behind children" (留守儿童, liúshǒu értóng) whose parents work in distant cities, or the elderly living alone in "empty nest" homes (空巢家庭, kōngcháo jiātíng). | |
| ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== | ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== |
| * **孤单 (gūdān)** is a very common word used in daily conversation, social media, and pop culture (especially song lyrics) to express feelings of loneliness. | * **孤单** is a very common, everyday word used in informal and personal contexts. |
| * **Connotation:** It is almost always negative. It evokes sympathy from the listener. | * **Expressing personal feelings:** It's frequently used to tell someone how you feel. For example, "我今天有点孤单" (Wǒ jīntiān yǒudiǎn gūdān) - "I feel a little lonely today." |
| * **Formality:** It is generally used in informal to semi-formal contexts. You would say it to a friend, family member, or on a social media post, but it might be too emotional for a formal business report. | * **Showing empathy:** You can use it to ask about someone else's well-being, especially if you know they live alone. "你一个人住，会觉得孤单吗？" (Nǐ yíge rén zhù, huì juéde gūdān ma?) - "Living by yourself, do you ever feel lonely?" |
| * It's often paired with adverbs like 很 (hěn - very), 有点儿 (yǒudiǎnr - a little bit), or 觉得 (juéde - to feel) to express the degree of loneliness. For example, "我**觉得**很**孤单**" (Wǒ juéde hěn gūdān - I feel very lonely). | * **In media and art:** The word is extremely common in song lyrics, poetry, and movie titles, often conveying a sense of melancholy, longing, or urban isolation. |
| | * **Connotation:** Its connotation is almost always negative or, at best, melancholic. It describes a lack—the lack of company. It is rarely used in a positive sense. |
| ===== Example Sentences ===== | ===== Example Sentences ===== |
| * **Example 1:** | * **Example 1:** |
| * 他刚搬到新的城市，一个朋友都没有，觉得很**孤单**。 | * 一个人住，有时候会觉得很**孤单**。 |
| * Pinyin: Tā gāng bān dào xīn de chéngshì, yí ge péngyou dōu méiyǒu, juéde hěn **gūdān**. | * Pinyin: Yíge rén zhù, yǒushíhou huì juéde hěn **gūdān**. |
| * English: He just moved to a new city and doesn't have a single friend, so he feels very lonely. | * English: Living alone, sometimes I feel very lonely. |
| * Analysis: This is a classic use of **gūdān**. The loneliness is a direct result of the objective situation: being in a new place with no friends. | * Analysis: A very common and direct way to express the loneliness that comes from the situation of living by oneself. |
| * **Example 2:** | * **Example 2:** |
| * 爸爸妈妈出差了，小明一个人在家，一点儿也不觉得**孤单**，因为他在玩电脑游戏。 | * 孩子们都出国了，这位老人常常感到**孤单**。 |
| * Pinyin: Bàba māma chūchāi le, Xiǎo Míng yí ge rén zài jiā, yìdiǎnr yě bù juéde **gūdān**, yīnwèi tā zài wán diànnǎo yóuxì. | * Pinyin: Háizi men dōu chūguó le, zhè wèi lǎorén chángcháng gǎndào **gūdān**. |
| * English: Mom and Dad are on a business trip, and Xiao Ming is home alone, but he doesn't feel lonely at all because he's playing computer games. | * English: With his children all abroad, this elderly man often feels lonely. |
| * Analysis: This example cleverly shows that the state of being alone (一个人) doesn't automatically lead to the feeling of **gūdān**. | * Analysis: This sentence highlights a common social scenario. The reason for the loneliness is clear: the physical absence of his children. |
| * **Example 3:** | * **Example 3:** |
| * праздники的时候，看到别人都和家人在一起，我感到特别**孤单**。 | * 情人节那天，他一个人看电影，感觉特别**孤单**。 |
| * Pinyin: Jiérì de shíhou, kàndào biérén dōu hé jiārén zài yìqǐ, wǒ gǎndào tèbié **gūdān**. | * Pinyin: Qíngrénjié nàtiān, tā yíge rén kàn diànyǐng, gǎnjué tèbié **gūdān**. |
| * English: During the holidays, seeing other people together with their families makes me feel especially lonely. | * English: On Valentine's Day, he watched a movie by himself and felt especially lonely. |
| * Analysis: This highlights how social context (holidays) can amplify the feeling of **gūdān** when you are physically separated from your loved ones. | * Analysis: The context of the holiday, a time for couples, amplifies the feeling of **孤单** from being physically alone. |
| * **Example 4:** | * **Example 4:** |
| * “你一个人住会**孤单**吗？” “刚开始会，现在习惯了。” | * 月光下，他**孤单**的背影显得很长。 |
| * Pinyin: "Nǐ yí ge rén zhù huì **gūdān** ma?" "Gāng kāishǐ huì, xiànzài xíguàn le." | * Pinyin: Yuèguāng xià, tā **gūdān** de bèiyǐng xiǎnde hěn cháng. |
| * English: "Do you get lonely living by yourself?" "I did at first, but I'm used to it now." | * English: Under the moonlight, his solitary figure cast a long shadow. |
| * Analysis: This shows **gūdān** used in a common question about someone's living situation. It's a natural and empathetic thing to ask. | * Analysis: Here, **孤单** is used to describe an appearance or a scene. It means "solitary" and creates a lonely, cinematic image. |
| * **Example 5:** | * **Example 5:** |
| * 这只被遗弃的小猫看起来很**孤单**。 | * 别担心，你不会**孤单**的，我们都在你身边。 |
| * Pinyin: Zhè zhī bèi yíqì de xiǎo māo kànqǐlái hěn **gūdān**. | * Pinyin: Bié dānxīn, nǐ bú huì **gūdān** de, wǒmen dōu zài nǐ shēnbiān. |
| * English: This abandoned kitten looks very lonely. | * English: Don't worry, you won't be lonely, we are all here by your side. |
| * Analysis: **孤单** can be used to describe animals, personifying them with human emotions based on their solitary state. | * Analysis: A phrase of comfort, directly countering the state of **孤单** with the presence of others. |
| * **Example 6:** | * **Example 6:** |
| * 分手以后，我的生活突然变得很**孤单**。 | * 我最害怕的感觉就是**孤单**。 |
| * Pinyin: Fēnshǒu yǐhòu, wǒ de shēng | * Pinyin: Wǒ zuì hàipà de gǎnjué jiùshì **gūdān**. |
| | * English: The feeling I fear the most is loneliness. |
| | * Analysis: A simple, powerful statement expressing a deep-seated fear of being alone. |
| | * **Example 7:** |
| | * 这首歌唱出了许多在大城市打拼的年轻人的**孤单**。 |
| | * Pinyin: Zhè shǒu gē chàng chūle xǔduō zài dà chéngshì dǎpīn de niánqīngrén de **gūdān**. |
| | * English: This song expresses the loneliness of many young people struggling in big cities. |
| | * Analysis: This shows how **孤单** can be used to describe a shared, collective experience of a specific demographic. |
| | * **Example 8:** |
| | * 虽然工作很忙，但我从不觉得**孤单**。 |
| | * Pinyin: Suīrán gōngzuò hěn máng, dàn wǒ cóng bù juéde **gūdān**. |
| | * English: Although my work is very busy, I never feel lonely. |
| | * Analysis: This example contrasts a state (being busy) with a feeling (**孤单**), showing they are not mutually exclusive. Someone could be busy but still lonely, or in this case, busy and not lonely. |
| | * **Example 9:** |
| | * 不要把小猫一只**孤单**地留在家里。 |
| | * Pinyin: Búyào bǎ xiǎo māo yì zhī **gūdān** de liú zài jiālǐ. |
| | * English: Don't leave the kitten at home all by its lonesome. |
| | * Analysis: Demonstrates that **孤单** can be used for animals as well, personifying their feeling of being left alone. |
| | * **Example 10:** |
| | * 远离家乡，他成了一个**孤单**的奋斗者。 |
| | * Pinyin: Yuǎnlí jiāxiāng, tā chéngle yíge **gūdān** de fèndòuzhě. |
| | * English: Far from his hometown, he became a lonely striver. |
| | * Analysis: Here, **孤单** acts as an adjective modifying a noun ("striver"), describing his state while pursuing his goals. |
| | ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== |
| | * The most critical nuance for a learner to master is the difference between **孤单 (gūdān)** and **寂寞 (jìmò)**. They both translate to "lonely," but they are not interchangeable. |
| | * **孤单 (gūdān):** Loneliness from being //physically alone//. It's about your external situation. **Key thought: "I am by myself, therefore I feel lonely."** |
| | * **[[jimo|寂寞 (jìmò)]]:** Loneliness as an //internal, emotional state//. It's a feeling of spiritual emptiness or lack of connection that can occur even when you are surrounded by people. **Key thought: "I am with people, but I still feel a deep loneliness."** |
| | * **Common Mistake:** |
| | * **Incorrect:** 我在派对上感觉很**孤单**。(Wǒ zài pàiduì shàng gǎnjué hěn **gūdān**.) |
| | * **Why it's less natural:** A party is, by definition, a place with many people. You are not physically alone. While people might understand you, a native speaker would almost always express this feeling of alienation in a crowd using `寂寞`. |
| | * **Correct:** 我在派对上感觉很**寂寞**。(Wǒ zài pàiduì shàng gǎnjué hěn **jìmò**.) |
| | * **Explanation:** "I felt very lonely (emotionally disconnected) at the party." |
| | ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== |
| | * * [[jimo|寂寞]] (jìmò) - The internal, emotional feeling of loneliness or emptiness, distinct from the physical state of being alone. The most important related term to contrast with **孤单**. |
| | * * [[gudu|孤独]] (gūdú) - Solitude; being alone. This term is more literary and profound than **孤单**. It can sometimes carry a neutral or even positive connotation, like the chosen solitude of a thinker or artist. |
| | * * [[dandu|单独]] (dāndú) - Alone; by oneself. This is a neutral adverb describing the state of being alone without any emotional weight. "Can I talk to you alone (单独)?" |
| | * * [[yigeren|一个人]] (yí ge rén) - "One person" or "alone." The most straightforward, factual way to state that someone is by themselves. "I live alone (我一个人住)." |
| | * * [[lengqing|冷清]] (lěngqīng) - (Of a place) cold and cheerless; desolate; deserted. A street or a shop can be **冷清**, and this atmosphere can make a person feel **孤单**. |
| | * * [[kongxu|空虚]] (kōngxū) - Hollow; empty; void. This describes a feeling of inner emptiness, which is often a component of feeling `寂寞 (jìmò)`. |
| | * * [[liushouertong|留守儿童]] (liúshǒu'értóng) - "Left-behind children." A term for children in rural China whose parents have moved to cities to work. They are a prominent social group often described as being **孤单**. |