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March 24, 2026
孤gū(gu1)
The character 孤 (gū) conveys the idea of being alone or solitary. It is often used to describe a person who is lonely, an orphan, or to denote the state of being isolated. In contexts such as literature or emotional expressions, it emphasizes feelings of loneliness or abandonment.
Strokes8Radical子Frequency#8354DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of being 孤 (lonely) often carries a deeper societal implication, reflecting not just personal feelings but also the importance of family and social connections, making loneliness a significant concern.
Memory Tip
Imagine a solitary figure standing alone in a vast empty field, symbolizing loneliness. The character 孤 has the radical '子' (zi), meaning child, suggesting a child left alone, enhancing the imagery of an orphan.
Meanings of 孤
gū(gu1)
1lone
2lonely
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 孤
孤Simplified
8Strokes
子Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#8354Frequency Rank
Podcast: 孤
Podcast: 孤
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AI Study Notes for 孤
Quick Contrast
孤 (gū) vs 单 (dān) — use 孤 when emphasizing emotional loneliness or abandonment, while 单 refers more to being single or solitary in a neutral sense.
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include confusing 孤 with 独 (dú), which also means alone but carries a less negative connotation. 孤 is more formal and often used in literature, while 独 is more colloquial. Be cautious with the tone; it is pronounced with a high level tone (gū).
HSK Study Tips
Although 孤 is not an HSK word, it connects well with HSK vocabulary related to emotions and states of being, such as 高兴 (happy) and 悲伤 (sad). Focus on using it in context with other emotional vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 孤 with the similar-sounding word 孤立 (gūlì), which means to isolate someone or something. Ensure you are using 孤 to specifically describe feelings of loneliness rather than the act of isolating.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 孤
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Drill the tone of 孤 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Phonosemantic compound. 子 represents the meaning and 瓜 represents the sound.
1The meaning half子 carries the sense.
2The sound half瓜 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaychild
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 孤? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 孤?
Decomposition of 孤
IDS Structure⿰子瓜
孤Full Character
=
子zi3
left
瓜gua1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 孤?
How to say lone in Chinese
“lone” in Chinese is孤gū
The character 孤 (gū) conveys the idea of being alone or solitary. It is often used to describe a person who is lonely, an orphan, or to denote the state of being isolated. In contexts such as literature or emotional expressions, it emphasizes feelings of loneliness or abandonment.
When to use 孤
Common mistakes include confusing 孤 with 独 (dú), which also means alone but carries a less negative connotation. 孤 is more formal and often used in literature, while 独 is more colloquial. Be cautious with the tone; it is pronounced with a high level tone (gū).
孤 or something close to it
孤 (gū) vs 单 (dān) — use 孤 when emphasizing emotional loneliness or abandonment, while 单 refers more to being single or solitary in a neutral sense.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 孤 with the similar-sounding word 孤立 (gūlì), which means to isolate someone or something. Ensure you are using 孤 to specifically describe feelings of loneliness rather than the act of isolating.
Write 孤
孤
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Practice writing 孤 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 孤
孤 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 5
Complete the Sentence
26分钟之后他一瘸一拐地走出来，显得____单凄凉。
He looked a forlorn figure as he limped off after 26 minutes.
Example Sentences for 孤 (10)
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1
26分钟之后他一瘸一拐地走出来，显得孤单凄凉。
26 26 fēn zhōng zhī hòu tā yī qué yī guǎi dì zǒu chū， lái ， xiǎn dé gū dān。
He looked a forlorn figure as he limped off after 26 minutes.
2
他还简单谈及了他被俘期间忍受的孤独。
tā huán jiǎn dān tán jí le tā bèi fú qī jiān rěn shòu de gū dú。
He also talked briefly about the isolation he endured while in captivity.
