noun
single parent; one parent
Refers to a family where only one parent is present, often used in social welfare contexts.
ひとり親家庭への支援が必要だ。
Support for single-parent families is necessary.
彼女はひとり親として二人の子供を育てている。
She is raising two children as a single parent.
シングルマザー specifically refers to a single mother, while ひとり親 is gender-neutral and can refer to either a single father or mother.
父子家庭 refers to a father-only household, whereas ひとり親 is a broader term for any single-parent family.
母子家庭 refers to a mother-only household, while ひとり親 is a more general term.
Compound of ひとり (one person) and 親 (parent).