孤苦伶仃 (gū kǔ líng dīng) — (idiom) solitary and destitute, alone and helpless

Definition

Chengyu for someone who is utterly alone with no one to rely on — not just single, but destitute and helpless. Carries a strong literary, sorrowful tone; not used in casual speech.

idiom
solitary and destitutealone and helpless

Examples

  • ，孤苦伶仃。
    Tā cóng xiǎo jiù shī qù le fù mǔ, gū kǔ líng dīng dì zài gū ér yuàn zhǎng dà.
    He lost his parents as a child and grew up solitary and destitute in an orphanage.
  • ，孤苦伶仃。
    Nà wèi lǎo rén wú ér wú nǚ, wǎn nián shēng huó zhēn gū kǔ líng dīng.
    That elderly person has no children, and his late life is truly solitary and destitute.
  • 孤苦伶仃，。
    Zhè zhī liú làng gǒu kàn qǐ lái gū kǔ líng dīng, zhēn kě lián.
    This stray dog looks alone and helpless, really pitiable.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

孤苦solitary and miserable
孤gūsolitary苦kǔmiserable
联合Side by side
伶仃
伶líng仃dīng

孤苦 combines solitary and miserable, while 伶仃 conveys helpless alone; together they mean alone and destitute.

Characters in this word

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
子子zǐchild
Sound part声符shēngfú
瓜
瓜guā孤gū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

孤 uses 子 (child) to show a child, and 瓜 to give the sound.

Open 孤 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
古
古gǔ苦kǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The top 艸 shows grass or plants, matching the sense of bitter plants. The bottom 古 gives the sound.

Open 苦 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
人人rénman; person
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng伶líng
Same sound today

The left part 人 shows a person, while the right part 令 gives the character 伶 its sound.

Open 伶 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
人人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng仃
Same sound today

仃 pairs 人 (man) as the part showing its meaning with 丁 as the part giving its sound.

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