Meanings of 單
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About 單
Podcast: 單
Podcast: 單
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AI Study Notes for 單
单 (dān) vs 唯 (wéi) — use 单 for 'single' as in one item, while 唯 emphasizes 'only' in a more exclusive sense.
Be careful not to confuse 單 (dān) with 單元 (dānyuán), which means 'unit' or 'module.' This character is often used in informal contexts but can also appear in formal situations, such as academic writing. Note the tone, as mispronouncing it with a different tone can change the meaning entirely.
Although 單 is not part of the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects well with other basic HSK Level 1 words like 一 (yī, one) and 口 (kǒu, mouth), which are also fundamental to understanding numbers and counting in Mandarin. Focus on recognizing the character's form and pronunciation.
Learners often mistakenly use 單 to mean 'double' or 'multiple,' which is incorrect. For example, saying '我需要兩個單人房' (wǒ xūyào liǎng gè dān rén fáng) suggests needing two single rooms, which is correct, but misunderstandings can arise if they misconstrue the term as implying something plural.
Pronunciation of 單
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Etymology of 單
Simplified form of 單. Pictograph of a hunting or military trap constructed from two rocks and a net. The current meaning "single" is a phonetic loan.
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 單
Simplified form of 單. Pictograph of a hunting or military trap constructed from two rocks and a net. The current meaning "single" is a phonetic loan.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 單? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Decomposition of 單
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How to say single, individual, only; lone in Chinese
“single, individual, only; lone” in Chinese is單
The character 單 (dān) means 'single' or 'individual,' often used to describe something that is alone or solitary. It can refer to a single item or person, emphasizing uniqueness or simplicity in various contexts such as shopping (a single item) or personal status (single in a relationship).
When to use 單
Be careful not to confuse 單 (dān) with 單元 (dānyuán), which means 'unit' or 'module.' This character is often used in informal contexts but can also appear in formal situations, such as academic writing. Note the tone, as mispronouncing it with a different tone can change the meaning entirely.
單 or something close to it
单 (dān) vs 唯 (wéi) — use 单 for 'single' as in one item, while 唯 emphasizes 'only' in a more exclusive sense.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 單 to mean 'double' or 'multiple,' which is incorrect. For example, saying '我需要兩個單人房' (wǒ xūyào liǎng gè dān rén fáng) suggests needing two single rooms, which is correct, but misunderstandings can arise if they misconstrue the term as implying something plural.
Write 單
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Practice writing 單 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 單
Compound Meaning
What does 简单 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 單
You can say '我想要一個單人房' (wǒ xiǎng yào yī gè dān rén fáng) which means 'I want a single room.'
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