孤
こ
Meanings
1
solitude; loneliness; being alone
Describes the state of being alone, often with a nuance of loneliness or isolation. Can be used as a noun or adjectivally with な.
He prefers solitude.
I grew tired of a lonely life.
2
rare term
Rare standalone use; more commonly seen in compounds like 孤児 (こじ). This sense is marked as rare.
See also: 孤児
The 孤 in 孤児 is the same character as in 'orphan'.
Expressions
- 孤掌鳴らし難しone cannot live solely by oneself; one cannot accomplish anything solely by oneself
- 徳は孤ならず必ず隣ありvirtue never stands alone; a virtuous person will always find companions