Definition
独 (dú) is a literary adverb meaning 'alone' or 'only'. It often appears in fixed expressions (e.g., 独一无二 'unique') and is less flexible than the everyday synonyms 单独 (dān dú) and 独自 (dú zì), which are used freely before verbs. As 'only', it overlaps with 唯 (wéi), but 独 is slightly more common in modern usage.
adverb
aloneby oneselfonlysolely
Easily confused
- 读dúsound-aliketo read
- 度dùsound-alike(verb) to spend (time), to pass (time)
- 赌dǔsound-aliketo gamble, to bet
- 毒dúsound-alike(noun) poison; also refers to narcotics (毒品)
- 堵dǔsound-alike(verb) to block up, to jam, to stop up
- 渡dùsound-aliketo cross (a river, sea, etc.)
Examples
- 独。Zhè jiàn shì dú kào tā yí gè rén shì bàn bù chéng de.This matter can't be accomplished by him alone.
- ，独。Wǒmen jǐ gè dōu qù le, dú tā méiyǒu qù.All of us went, only he didn't go.
- ，。Zhèlǐ de fēngjǐng dú yī wú èr, qítā dìfang kàn bú dào.The scenery here is unique; you can't see it anywhere else.
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