孤
orphan · alone
Details
Stroke Order
Component Breakdown
child + 瓜
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of child and melon. Child like melon.
Symbolism
Loneliness, isolation, orphan. Represents being alone.
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
天涯孤独
てんがいこどく
a person without a single relative; a person without a single relative
鰥寡孤独
かんかこどく
with no one upon whom to depend; utter loneliness; the lonely and the helpless; with no one upon whom to depend
孤軍奮闘
こぐんふんとう
fighting alone; fighting alone
孤影悄然
こえいしょうぜん
alone and dejected; lonely and downhearted; lonely and crestfallen; alone and dejected
孤城落日
こじょうらくじつ
feeling (looking) lone and helpless; helplessness of those in reduced circumstances; feeling (looking) lone and helpless
孤立無援
こりつむえん
isolated and helpless; alone and unassisted; isolated and helpless
狷介孤高
けんかいここう
stubborn and aloof; stubborn and aloof
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 孤 mean in Japanese?
孤 means orphan, alone.
How do you read 孤?
On'yomi: コ (KO).
How many strokes does 孤 have?
孤 has 9 strokes. Its radical is 子 (child).
Is 孤 a good kanji for a tattoo?
Yes. 孤 (orphan, alone) has a clear positive meaning and no embarrassing alternate readings, making it a solid tattoo choice.
Explore by meaning:kanji for alone