gu1 daan1 daan1孤單單孤单单
Jyutpinggu1 daan1 daan1
Yalegū dāan dāan
Definition
Alone; lonely; solitary.
colloquialdescriptionsemotion
How it's used
This reduplicated adjective emphasizes a sense of solitude or being left behind, often carrying a slightly melancholic or pathetic tone. It is more descriptive and emotive than the simple adjective 孤獨. Unlike 孤獨 which can describe a state of mind or a philosophical condition, 孤單單 focuses on the physical state of being solitary or abandoned.
Examples
He is sitting all alone in the park.
Why are you all by yourself here?
Related words
Common phrases
all by oneself
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this to describe a person who is simply single or independent, but it specifically implies a feeling of loneliness or a lack of company that might be pitiable.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
