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单个 (dān gè) — single; individual; alone; individually

Definition

单个 means 'single / individual / one at a time' — used as an attribute before a noun (单个的字) or as an adverb meaning 'one by one' (单个检查). Pairs with 单独, which leans more toward 'alone / on one's own'.

singleindividualaloneindividually

Examples

  • 单个。
    Tā ná chū le dān gè bāo zhuāng de bǐng gān.
    He took out individually packaged cookies.
  • 单个。
    Měi gè dān gè de zì dōu yào xiě duì.
    Every single character must be written correctly.
  • 单个，。
    Wǒ men dān gè xíng dòng, bú kào bié rén.
    We act alone, not relying on others.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

单dānsingle
个gèindividual unit

单 means single and 个 means an individual unit, together meaning one alone or individually.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 單; 单 is its simplified writing.

The form 單 originally pictured a Y-shaped wooden stick with two stones on top.

Open 单 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 個; 个 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
固
固gù個ge
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 个, the form 個 pairs 亻 (person) with 固 as a sound part.

Open 个 →
Appears in
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