Skip to content
Kotomora

孤

orphan, alone

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes9

Readings

On'yomi

  • コ

Kun'yomi

—

Meaning

孤 centers on being alone or without close ties: an orphan who has lost parents, or a solitary state of being by oneself.

Most common words using 孤

20 of 55
  • 孤独こどく
    N1

    solitude; loneliness; isolation

  • 孤立こりつ
    N1

    isolation; being alone; being friendless

  • 孤児こじ
    N1

    orphan

  • 孤高ここう

    aloof; proudly independent; standing apart; solitary

  • 孤島ことう

    solitary island; isolated island

  • 孤こ

    being alone; solitude; loneliness

  • 孤軍こぐん

    lone (isolated) force; forlorn force

  • 天涯孤独てんがいこどく

    a person without a single relative

  • 孤児院こじいん

    orphanage

  • 孤軍奮闘こぐんふんとう

    fighting alone

  • 中国残留孤児ちゅうごくざんりゅうこじ

    Japanese orphans left behind in China (after WWII); war-displaced Japanese in China

  • 孤児作品こじさくひん

    orphan works

  • 孤児著作物こじちょさくぶつ

    orphan works

  • 孤剣こけん

    sole sword; unarmed but for a sword

  • 孤城こじょう

    solitary castle; isolated castle

  • 孤城落日こじょうらくじつ

    feeling (looking) lone and helpless; helplessness of those in reduced circumstances

  • 孤城落月こじょうらくげつ

    feeling apprehensive; feeling (looking) lone and helpless; being down-and-out (ruined); helplessness of those in reduced circumstances

  • 孤塁こるい

    isolated stronghold

  • 孤客こかく

    lone traveller; lone traveler

  • 孤帆こはん

    solitary sailboat

Explore all words using 孤 →

Study

Etymology

孤 combines 子 (child) with 瓜, which likely contributes the sound and may suggest a gourd-like separation, giving the idea of a child alone or orphaned.

Meaning mnemonic

A child (子) beside a gourd (瓜) that looks like a hollow, solitary object: picture a lone child holding a gourd, representing an orphan alone in the world.

Reading mnemonic

For コ, imagine a lonely child (子) calling out 'coo' like a dove: the soft 'coo' sound cues コ while the child remains alone.