獨 meaning and stroke order
Alone, independent, only, single, solitary
How to write 獨, stroke by stroke
16 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 獨
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- alone
- independent
- single
- sole
- only
How 獨 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Dog.
犭 gives the meaning and 蜀 hints at the sound.
Radical: 犭 (dog), shared by 88 characters on this site.
How to remember 獨
獨 is a dog 犭 on the left with 蜀 (shǔ) on the right giving the sound. Picture a lone dog that wanders off by itself, and you have the idea of being alone or single.
獨 is the traditional form, and in simplified Chinese it is written 独. It appears mostly in compounds like 獨立 (dúlì, independent), 獨特 (dútè, unique) and 孤獨 (gūdú, lonely). Example: 他一個人獨自去旅行。(Tā yí ge rén dúzì qù lǚxíng.) He went traveling alone by himself.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes mix up 獨 with 濁 (zhuó, muddy) and 燭 (zhú, candle), which share the 蜀 part but have water 氵 or fire 火 on the left. Only the dog radical 犭 gives 獨 its meaning of alone.
Common words with 獨
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 單獨 | dāndú | alone; by oneself | HSK 4 |
| 獨自 | dúzì | alone | HSK 4 |
| 獨立 | dúlì | independent; independence | HSK 4 |
| 獨特 | dútè | unique; distinctive | HSK 4 |
| 孤獨 | gūdú | lonely; solitary | HSK 6 |
| 獨一無二 | dúyī-wú'èr | (idiom) unique; unmatched; unrivalled | HSK 7-9 |
| 獨家 | dújiā | exclusive | HSK 7-9 |
| 獨身 | dúshēn | unmarried; single; alone | HSK 7-9 |
| 唯獨 | wéidú | only; just (i.e. it is only that...) | HSK 7-9 |
| 獨唱 | dúchàng | (in singing) solo; to solo | HSK 7-9 |
| 得天獨厚 | détiāndúhòu | blessed by heaven (idiom); enjoying exceptional advantages | HSK 7-9 |
| 獨立自主 | dúlì-zìzhǔ | independent and autonomous (idiom); self-determination; to act independently | HSK 7-9 |
| 獨處 | dúchǔ | to live alone; to spend time alone (or with a significant other) | |
| 獨角獸 | dújiǎoshòu | unicorn |
Questions about 獨
How many strokes are in 獨?
獨 is written with 16 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 獨 mean?
獨 (dú) means alone, independent, only, single, solitary. A common word with it is 单独 (dāndú), meaning "alone; by oneself".
How do you pronounce 獨?
獨 is pronounced dú, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 獨?
The radical of 獨 is 犭, which carries the idea of "dog". Dictionaries list 獨 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 獨?
獨 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 独, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 單獨 and 獨自?
Both mean alone. 獨自 (dúzì) usually goes before a verb to describe someone doing something by themselves, like 獨自生活. 單獨 (dāndú) is more flexible and can also mean separately, as in 單獨談談 (to talk one on one).
Does 孤獨 mean the same as being alone?
Not exactly. 孤獨 (gūdú) describes the feeling of loneliness, while 單獨 or 獨自 simply state that someone is by themselves. You can be 獨自 at home without feeling 孤獨.