dāngàn

单干

Word · VerbTraditional單幹

work alone; act independently

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

1 sense · 4 examples
1.

verb

to work alone; to go it alone

neutral

Originally and commonly used in the context of farming or work, it describes an individualistic approach, often implying self-reliance or resistance to joining a collective. Can be used both literally and figuratively.

Tā他
bù不
xǐ喜
huan欢
tuán团
duì队
hé合
zuò作
 ,
jiù就
xǐ喜
huan欢
dān单
gàn干
 。

He doesn't like teamwork and prefers to work alone.

Zài在
nà那
ge个
xiàng项
mù目
li里
 ,
tā他
shì是
ge个
dān单
gàn干
hù户
 ,
zì自
jǐ己
wán完
chéng成
le了
suǒ所
yǒu有
bù部
fen分
 。

In that project, he was a lone wolf and completed all parts by himself.

Show 2 more examples
Yǐ以
qián前
cūn村
li里
gǎo搞
hé合
zuò作
shè社
 ,
tā他
shì是
shǎo少
shù数
jiān坚
chí持
dān单
gàn干
de的
rén人
 。

Back when the village started a cooperative, he was one of the few who insisted on working independently.

Wǒ我
men们
děi得
yī一
qǐ起
xiǎng想
bàn办
fǎ法
 ,
dān单
gàn干
shì是
jiě解
jué决
bù不
liǎo了
zhè这
ge个
wèn问
tí题
de的
 。

We have to think of a solution together; going it alone won't solve this problem.