lonely; solitary; alone
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
lonely; solitary; alone; companionless
literaryVariant form of 形单影只 (xíng dān yǐng zhī), with the same meaning. Literally 'body single, shadow alone'. Used to describe someone who is completely alone without any companions. Often carries a literary or melancholic tone.
Fù父
mǔ母
lí离
shì世
hòu后
，
tā他
xíng形
zhī只
yǐng影
dān单
de地
shēng生
huó活
zài在
zhè这
zuò座
chéng城
shì市
lǐ里
。
After his parents passed away, he lived alone in this city, a solitary figure.
Tā她
bù不
yuàn愿
cān参
jiā加
jù聚
huì会
，
nìng宁
yuàn愿
xíng形
zhī只
yǐng影
dān单
de地
dài待
zài在
shū书
fáng房
dú读
shū书
。
She refused to attend parties, preferring to stay alone in her study reading books.
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Lǎo老
rén人
xíng形
zhī只
yǐng影
dān单
de地
zuò坐
zài在
gōng公
yuán园
cháng长
yǐ椅
shàng上
，
xiǎn显
dé得
gé格
wài外
qī凄
liáng凉
。
The old man sat alone on the park bench, looking particularly desolate.