Meaning of 独立
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- independent
- independence
- to stand alone
How to use 独立
独立 works as a verb, adjective, or noun, describing people, countries, or organizations that do not rely on others. It often pairs with 生活 (shēnghuó) or 思考 (sīkǎo). Example: 她十八岁就开始独立生活了。(Tā shíbā suì jiù kāishǐ dúlì shēnghuó le.) She started living independently at eighteen.
独 (dú) means alone or single, and 立 (lì) means to stand. Picture one person standing alone on their own two feet: that is being independent.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 独立 with 单独 (dāndú). 单独 means doing something alone or separately, while 独立 means being self-reliant. So 我单独去 means I go by myself, not I go independently.
独立 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
独 dú · alone · 9 strokes
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- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
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- 9
立 lì · to stand · 5 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 独立.
| 立刻 | lìkè | immediately; at once; right away |
| 建立 | jiànlì | to establish; to set up |
| 成立 | chénglì | to establish; to set up |
| 设立 | shèlì | to set up; to establish |
| 单独 | dāndú | alone; by oneself |
| 立即 | lìjí | immediately |
| 独自 | dúzì | alone |
| 独特 | dútè | unique; distinctive |
| 立场 | lìchǎng | position; standpoint |
| 创立 | chuànglì | to establish; to set up; to found |
| 对立 | duìlì | to oppose; to set sth against |
| 确立 | quèlì | to establish; to institute |
Questions about 独立
What does 独立 mean?
独立 (dúlì) means "independent; independence" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 独立?
独立 is made of 2 characters: 独 (9 strokes), 立 (5 strokes). That is 14 strokes in total.
Is 独立 an HSK word?
Yes. 独立 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 独立 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 独立 is written 獨立.
How do you say Independence Day in Chinese?
It is 独立日 (dúlì rì). For example, the American Independence Day is 美国独立日 (Měiguó Dúlì Rì).
Can 独立 take an object, like independent from something?
Not directly. To say independent from something, use 从...独立出来 or 脱离...独立, for example 从公司独立出来 (cóng gōngsī dúlì chūlái), to become independent from the company.