gu1孤
Jyutpinggu1
Yalegū
Definition
Solitary, alone, or isolated with no one to rely on.
colloquialpeopleemotion
How it's used
孤 is rarely used as a standalone adjective in modern spoken Cantonese, appearing mostly in compound words or specific idioms. When describing the state of being alone or lonely, native speakers almost always prefer 孤單 or 孤零零. It carries a slightly literary or dramatic weight, so using it in casual conversation can make you sound like you are reciting a poem or being overly sentimental.
Examples
He lives alone, he feels very lonely.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using 孤 alone to describe a person who is physically by themselves, as it sounds incomplete. Use 孤單 for the feeling of loneliness or 孤零零 for the physical state of being solitary.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
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Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
