stubborn and aloof; proudly independent
Describes a person who is obstinate in their own ways and keeps a proud distance from others, often with a nuance of noble isolation. A yojijukugo used in literary or formal contexts.
With a stubborn and aloof attitude, he made no effort to get close to anyone.
The spirit of proud independence is sometimes likened to the solitary life of an artist.
A yojijukugo combining 狷介 (obstinate, narrow-minded) and 孤高 (aloof, proudly solitary). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it is a literary compound used to describe a stubbornly independent character.