孤
孤·alone, orphan
- On-yomi
- コ
- Kun-yomi
- none
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 孤独 | こどく | loneliness, solitude |
| 孤立 | こりつ | isolation |
| 孤児 | こじ | orphan |
| 孤島 | ことう | isolated island |
Example sentences
都会で孤独を感じることがある。
とかいでこどくをかんじることがある。
There are times when I feel lonely in the city.
その村は大雪で孤立した。
そのむらはおおゆきでこりつした。
The village was cut off by the heavy snow.
彼は無人の孤島に流れ着いた。
かれはむじんのことうにながれついた。
He washed up on a deserted island.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
- 孤狐狐 (fox) shares 瓜 on the right but takes the animal radical 犭; 孤 takes 子, a child.
Common mistakes
- Reading 孤児 as こじん — it is こじ
- Confusing 孤独 (the feeling of being alone) with 独身 (being unmarried)
Memory aid
Picture it
A child 子 next to a dangling melon 瓜 — one small thing hanging alone on the vine, with no one beside it.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5
What does the kanji 孤 mean?