孤单

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 +====== gūdān: 孤单 - Lonely, Solitary ====== 
 +===== Quick Summary ===== 
 +  * **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 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 ===== 
 +  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** gūdān 
 +  * **Part of Speech:** Adjective 
 +  * **HSK Level:** HSK 4 
 +  * **Concise Definition:** To be lonely, often as a result of being physically alone. 
 +  * **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 ===== 
 +  * **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 originally depicted a type of forked hunting weapon. Its meaning evolved to represent something "single," "sole," "individual," or an odd number. 
 +  * 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 ===== 
 +  * 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). 
 +  * 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. 
 +===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== 
 +  * **孤单** is a very common, everyday word used in informal and personal contexts. 
 +  * **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." 
 +  * **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?" 
 +  * **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 1:**  
 +    * 一个人住，有时候会觉得很**孤单**。 
 +    * Pinyin: Yíge rén zhù, yǒushíhou huì juéde hěn **gūdān**. 
 +    * English: Living alone, sometimes I feel very lonely. 
 +    * Analysis: A very common and direct way to express the loneliness that comes from the situation of living by oneself. 
 +  * **Example 2:**  
 +    * 孩子们都出国了，这位老人常常感到**孤单**。 
 +    * Pinyin: Háizi men dōu chūguó le, zhè wèi lǎorén chángcháng gǎndào **gūdān**. 
 +    * English: With his children all abroad, this elderly man often feels lonely. 
 +    * Analysis: This sentence highlights a common social scenario. The reason for the loneliness is clear: the physical absence of his children. 
 +  * **Example 3:**  
 +    * 情人节那天，他一个人看电影，感觉特别**孤单**。 
 +    * Pinyin: Qíngrénjié nàtiān, tā yíge rén kàn diànyǐng, gǎnjué tèbié **gūdān**. 
 +    * English: On Valentine's Day, he watched a movie by himself and felt especially lonely. 
 +    * Analysis: The context of the holiday, a time for couples, amplifies the feeling of **孤单** from being physically alone. 
 +  * **Example 4:**  
 +    * 月光下，他**孤单**的背影显得很长。 
 +    * Pinyin: Yuèguāng xià, tā **gūdān** de bèiyǐng xiǎnde hěn cháng. 
 +    * English: Under the moonlight, his solitary figure cast a long shadow. 
 +    * Analysis: Here, **孤单** is used to describe an appearance or a scene. It means "solitary" and creates a lonely, cinematic image. 
 +  * **Example 5:**  
 +    * 别担心，你不会**孤单**的，我们都在你身边。 
 +    * Pinyin: Bié dānxīn, nǐ bú huì **gūdān** de, wǒmen dōu zài nǐ shēnbiān. 
 +    * English: Don't worry, you won't be lonely, we are all here by your side. 
 +    * Analysis: A phrase of comfort, directly countering the state of **孤单** with the presence of others. 
 +  * **Example 6:**  
 +    * 我最害怕的感觉就是**孤单**。 
 +    * 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**.