Prefix meaning 'single', 'simple', or 'one'. Attaches to nouns to form compounds like 単細胞 (single-celled) or 単純 (simple).
Abbreviation of 単試合 (singles match). Used in tennis, badminton, table tennis, etc. to refer to the singles event.
See also: 単試合
win bet (horse racing)
Abbreviation of 単勝式 (win betting). In horse racing, a bet on a horse to finish first.
See also: 単勝式
He competed in the singles event.
Single-celled organisms are made of just one cell.
This problem looks simple, but it's actually complex.
He won the tennis singles.
Which are you better at, badminton singles or doubles?
When placing a win bet in horse racing, I pick the strongest horse.
It's hard to win with a win bet, but the payout is big.
I placed a win bet on the horse I thought would come in first.
単 means 'single' (one, singles), while 複 means 'multiple' or 'doubles', as seen in the pair 単複.
Standard kanji form; used as a prefix and in compound abbreviations.
The kanji 単 originally means 'single' or 'simple'. The prefix use is directly from this meaning. The sports and betting senses are abbreviations of longer compounds.
single-shot; firing one shot at a time · single-engine; having only one engine · one-shot; one-off; non-serial
unit price; unit cost
alone; by oneself; single-handed
single; sole; unitary
win bet; straight win
individual item; single article · one item from a set; single item out of a set
monotonous; dull; lacking variety · monotone; monotonic
single color; monochrome
motorcycle; motorbike
single eye; one eye; single lens · simple eye; ocellus
single cell; unicellular · simple-minded; one-track-minded
single horseman; lone rider · waiting for a single tile to complete a pair and hand; waiting for half of a pair with four melds completed
teaching unit; module
single; one · singular (number)
single track; single line · solid wire; solid-core wire; single-strand wire
singular and plural; simplicity and complexity; singles and doubles
single sound; monosyllable; phone · monotone (harmonica, etc.)
lone plane; single aircraft
simple system; single-entry bookkeeping
single; base hit; one-base hit
propaganda leaflet