daan1 ding1單丁单丁

Jyutpingdaan1 ding1

Yaledāan dīng

形容詞Uncommon

Definition

Single; solitary; only one.

colloquialpeopledescriptions

How it's used

Emphasizes the sense of being solitary or isolated, often carrying a slightly lonely or pitiful nuance compared to just saying 一個人. It is frequently used to highlight that someone or something is left behind or is the sole survivor of a group. You will often hear it paired with the word 一個 to reinforce the singular status.

Examples

keoi5佢seng4成jat6日daan1單ding1丁jat1一go3個heoi3去leoi5旅hang4行。

He always travels all by himself.

seng4成gaan3間fong2房dak1得faan1返daan1單ding1丁jat1一go3個wai6位，co5坐m4唔co5坐？

There is only one single seat left in the room, do you want to sit?

Common phrases

daan1單ding1丁jat1一go3個

all by one's lonesome

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with 單身, which specifically refers to relationship status. 單丁 describes the physical state of being alone or the scarcity of an item, whereas 單身 is strictly for people who are not married or in a relationship.