孤

孤 U+5B64, 孤 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5B64 ← 季 [U+5B63] CJK Unified Ideographs 孥 → [U+5B65]

Translingual

Han character

孤 (Kangxi radical 39, 子+5 in Chinese, 子+6 in Japanese, 8 strokes in Chinese, 9 strokes in Japanese, cangjie input 弓木竹女人 (NDHVO), four-corner 1243₀, composition ⿰子瓜)

Derived characters

• 𦋆, 箛, 𦣮, 菰, 𡍢, 𡦈, 𡦶, 𢮩, 𣔞, 𦁣, 𧍆, 𨂗, 𨔌, 𩸰, 𪂮, 𪂲, 𪧄, 𪽵, 𫛈

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 279, character 8
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 6966
• Dae Jaweon: page 547, character 6
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1014, character 1
• Unihan data for U+5B64

Chinese

trad.		孤
simp. #		孤

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 孤
Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
Small seal script

Characters in the same phonetic series (瓜) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
瓜	*kʷraː
坬	*kʷraːs
窊	*qʷraː, *qʷraːs
畖	*qʷraː
搲	*qʷraːs
攨	*qʷraːs
孤	*kʷaː
苽	*kʷaː
胍	*kʷaː
泒	*kʷaː
呱	*kʷaː
觚	*kʷaː
柧	*kʷaː
罛	*kʷaː
軱	*kʷaː
菰	*kʷaː
箛	*kʷaː
狐	*ɡʷaː
弧	*ɡʷlaː

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʷaː) : semantic 子 (“child”) + phonetic 瓜 (OC *kʷraː).

Etymology

Related to 寡 (OC *kʷraːʔ, “alone; widow”), 鰥 (OC *kruːn, *kruːns, “widower”) (Schuessler, 2007).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): gū (gu¹)

  (Zhuyin): ㄍㄨ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): gu¹

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): gu¹

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): gu¹

• Gan (Wiktionary): gu¹
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): kû

  (Meixian, Guangdong): gu¹

• Jin (Wiktionary): gu¹
• Northern Min (KCR): gú
• Eastern Min (BUC): gŭ
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): ko͘

  (Teochew, Peng'im): gou¹

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹ku
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): gu¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: gū
    • Zhuyin: ㄍㄨ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: gu
    • Wade–Giles: ku¹
    • Yale: gū
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: gu
    • Palladius: гу (gu)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ku⁵⁵/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: gu¹
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: gu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ku⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: gu¹
    • Yale: gū
    • Cantonese Pinyin: gu¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: gu¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kuː⁵⁵/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: gu¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ku³³/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: gu¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ku⁴²/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: kû
    • Hakka Romanization System: gu^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: gu¹
    • Sinological IPA: /ku²⁴/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: gu¹
    • Sinological IPA: /ku⁴⁴/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: gu¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /ku¹¹/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: gú
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ku⁵⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: gŭ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ku⁵⁵/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ko͘
    • Tâi-lô: koo
    • Phofsit Daibuun: kof
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /kɔ⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang): /kɔ³³/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: gou¹
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: kou
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kou³³/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ¹ku
    • MiniDict: ku^平
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹ku
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ku⁵³/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: gu¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ku³³/

---

• Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 孤
Mandarin	Beijing	/ku⁵⁵/
	Harbin	/ku⁴⁴/
	Tianjin	/ku²¹/
	Jinan	/ku²¹³/
	Qingdao	/ku²¹³/
	Zhengzhou	/ku²⁴/
	Xi'an	/ku²¹/
	Xining	/kv̩⁴⁴/
	Yinchuan	/ku⁴⁴/
	Lanzhou	/ku³¹/
	Ürümqi	/ku⁴⁴/
	Wuhan	/ku⁵⁵/
	Chengdu	/ku⁵⁵/
	Guiyang	/ku⁵⁵/
	Kunming	/ku⁴⁴/
	Nanjing	/ku³¹/
	Hefei	/ku²¹/
Jin	Taiyuan	/ku¹¹/
	Pingyao	/ku¹³/
	Hohhot	/ku³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/ku⁵³/
	Suzhou	/kəu⁵⁵/
	Hangzhou	/ku³³/
	Wenzhou	/ku³³/
Hui	Shexian	/ku³¹/
	Tunxi	/ku¹¹/
Xiang	Changsha	/ku³³/
	Xiangtan	/ku³³/
Gan	Nanchang	/ku⁴²/
Hakka	Meixian	/ku⁴⁴/
	Taoyuan
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/ku⁵³/
	Nanning	/ku⁵⁵/
	Hong Kong	/ku⁵⁵/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/kɔ⁵⁵/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/ku⁴⁴/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/ku⁵⁴/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/kou³³/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/ku²³/ ～獨 /kɔu²³/ ～寒

---

• Middle Chinese: ku

Rime
Character	孤
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	見 (28)
Final (韻)	模 (23)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	古胡切
Baxter	ku
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kuo/
Pan Wuyun	/kuo/
Shao Rongfen	/ko/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kɔ/
Li Rong	/ko/
Wang Li	/ku/
Bernard Karlgren	/kuo/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	gū
Expected Cantonese Reflex	gu1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*kʷˤa/

  (Zhengzhang): /*kʷaː/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	孤
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	gū
Middle Chinese	‹ ku ›
Old Chinese	/*kʷˁa/
English	orphan
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	孤
Reading #	1/1
No.	4347
Phonetic component	瓜
Rime group	魚
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	孤
Old Chinese	/*kʷaː/

Definitions

孤

1. orphaned; parentless
2. alone; solitary
3. orphan
4. (usually by an emperor or a king) I

   • 秦伯素服郊次，鄉師而哭曰：「孤違蹇叔，以辱二三子，孤之罪也。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     秦伯素服郊次，乡师而哭曰：「孤违蹇叔，以辱二三子，孤之罪也。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

     Qín bó sùfú jiāocì, xiàng shī ér kū yuē: “Gū wéi Jiǎnshū, yǐ rǔ èrsānzǐ, gū zhī zuì yě.” [Pinyin]

     The earl of Qin, in white mourning garments, was waiting for them in the borders of the capital, and wept, looking in the direction where the army had been lost. He said, "I have gone against the counsel of Jian Shu and thus brought disgrace on you, my generals; it is my crime."

Compounds

• 一意孤行 (yīyìgūxíng)
• 三孤
• 人孤勢單／人孤势单
• 伶仃孤苦
• 內秉堅孤／内秉坚孤
• 六尺之孤
• 冷孤丁
• 別鶴孤鸞／别鹤孤鸾
• 勢窮力孤／势穷力孤
• 南面稱孤／南面称孤
• 四行孤軍／四行孤军
• 妝孤／妆孤
• 存孤
• 字孤
• 孤丁
• 孤丁丁
• 孤介
• 孤伶伶
• 孤傲 (gū'ào)
• 孤僻 (gūpì)
• 孤光
• 孤兒／孤儿 (gū'ér)
• 孤兒寡婦／孤儿寡妇
• 孤兒年金／孤儿年金
• 孤兒院／孤儿院 (gū'éryuàn)
• 孤力難為／孤力难为 (gū lì nán wéi)
• 孤危
• 孤另
• 孤另另
• 孤哀子
• 孤單／孤单 (gūdān)
• 孤嗣
• 孤城 (gūchéng)
• 孤堆
• 孤塗／孤涂 (gūtú)
• 孤墳／孤坟
• 孤墳野塚／孤坟野冢
• 孤女 (gūnǚ)
• 孤嫠 (gūlí)
• 孤子 (gūzǐ)
• 孤子 (gūzǐ)
• 孤孑 (gūjié)
• 孤子波 (gūzǐ bō)
• 孤孤恓恓
• 孤孤悽悽／孤孤凄凄
• 孤孤零零
• 孤客 (gūkè)
• 孤家
• 孤家寡人 (gūjiāguǎrén)
• 孤寂 (gūjì)
• 孤寒 (gūhán)
• 孤寡 (gūguǎ)
• 孤寡不穀／孤寡不谷
• 孤山 (gūshān)
• 孤島／孤岛 (gūdǎo)
• 孤峭
• 孤峰絕岸／孤峰绝岸
• 孤帆 (gūfān)
• 孤弱
• 孤形吊影
• 孤形單影／孤形单影
• 孤形隻影／孤形只影
• 孤征
• 孤忠
• 孤恓
• 孤惸
• 孤憤／孤愤
• 孤拐
• 孤拔
• 孤拐臉／孤拐脸
• 孤拐面
• 孤挺花 (gūtǐnghuā)
• 孤掌難鳴／孤掌难鸣
• 孤星淚／孤星泪
• 孤本 (gūběn)
• 孤棲／孤栖
• 孤棚
• 孤樁／孤桩
• 孤標／孤标
• 孤注
• 孤波 (gūbō)
• 孤注一擲 (gūzhùyīzhì)
• 孤淒／孤凄
• 孤燈挑盡／孤灯挑尽
• 孤特
• 孤犢觸乳／孤犊触乳
• 孤獨／孤独 (gūdú)
• 孤獨園／孤独园
• 孤獸／孤兽
• 孤王
• 孤生
• 孤眠
• 孤眠獨宿／孤眠独宿
• 孤窮／孤穷 (gūqióng)
• 孤窮一身／孤穷一身
• 孤立 (gūlì)
• 孤立主義／孤立主义 (gūlìzhǔyì)
• 孤立子 (gūlìzǐ)
• 孤立子波 (gūlìzǐ bō)
• 孤立波 (gūlìbō)
• 孤立無助／孤立无助
• 孤立無援／孤立无援 (gūlìwúyuán)
• 孤立語／孤立语 (gūlìyǔ)
• 孤竹
• 孤竹君
• 孤絕／孤绝
• 孤老 (gūlǎo)
• 孤老院
• 孤膽／孤胆
• 孤臣
• 孤臣孽子
• 孤舟
• 孤芳
• 孤芳自賞／孤芳自赏 (gūfāngzìshǎng)
• 孤苦 (gūkǔ)
• 孤苦伶仃 (gūkǔlíngdīng)
• 孤苦無依／孤苦无依 (gūkǔwúyī)
• 孤苦零丁 (gūkǔlíngdīng)
• 孤蓬
• 孤虛／孤虚
• 孤行 (gūxíng)
• 孤行己意
• 孤行己見／孤行己见
• 孤衾獨枕／孤衾独枕
• 孤調調／孤调调
• 孤證／孤证 (gūzhèng)
• 孤負／孤负 (gūfù)
• 孤貧／孤贫
• 孤貧顛連／孤贫颠连
• 孤賤／孤贱
• 孤蹤／孤踪
• 孤身 (gūshēn)
• 孤身隻影／孤身只影 (gūshēnzhīyǐng)
• 孤軍／孤军 (gūjūn)
• 孤軍作戰／孤军作战 (gūjūnzuòzhàn)
• 孤軍奮戰／孤军奋战 (gūjūnfènzhàn)
• 孤軍深入／孤军深入
• 孤辰合注
• 孤迥
• 孤遊／孤游
• 孤陋
• 孤陋寡聞／孤陋寡闻 (gūlòuguǎwén)
• 孤雌生殖 (gūcí shēngzhí)
• 孤雛淚／孤雏泪
• 孤雛腐鼠／孤雏腐鼠
• 孤離／孤离
• 孤雲／孤云
• 孤雲野鶴／孤云野鹤
• 孤零零
• 孤霜
• 孤露
• 孤館／孤馆
• 孤高 (gūgāo)
• 孤高自許／孤高自许
• 孤鬼兒／孤鬼儿
• 孤魂 (gūhún)
• 孤魂野鬼 (gūhúnyěguǐ)
• 孤鳥／孤鸟
• 孤鴈
• 孤鴻寡鵠／孤鸿寡鹄
• 孤鸞／孤鸾 (gūluán)
• 孤鸞寡鶴／孤鸾寡鹤
• 孤鸞年／孤鸾年
• 孤鸞照命／孤鸾照命
• 孽子孤臣
• 寡宿孤辰
• 寡鵠孤鸞／寡鹄孤鸾
• 幼孤 (yòugū)
• 形孤影寡
• 形孤影隻／形孤影只
• 德不孤，必有鄰／德不孤，必有邻 (débùgū, bìyǒulín)
• 恤孤
• 恤孤念寡
• 恤孤念苦
• 惜孤念寡
• 憐孤惜寡／怜孤惜寡
• 拐孤
• 押孤丁
• 搶孤／抢孤
• 撫孤／抚孤 (fǔgū)
• 撫孤恤寡／抚孤恤寡
• 擔孤受寡／担孤受寡
• 斷雁孤鴻／断雁孤鸿
• 曙後星孤／曙后星孤
• 爬孤棚
• 獨學孤陋／独学孤陋
• 獨根孤種／独根孤种
• 白雲孤飛／白云孤飞
• 睽孤
• 矜寡孤獨／矜寡孤独
• 稱孤／称孤 (chēnggū)
• 稱孤道寡／称孤道寡 (chēnggūdàoguǎ)
• 絕世孤品／绝世孤品
• 苦心孤詣／苦心孤诣
• 裝孤／装孤
• 託孤／托孤
• 託孤寄命／托孤寄命
• 趙氏孤兒／赵氏孤儿
• 道寡稱孤／道寡称孤
• 遺孤／遗孤 (yígū)
• 鏡裡孤鸞／镜里孤鸾
• 閒雲孤鶴／闲云孤鹤
• 隻身孤影／只身孤影
• 零丁孤苦
• 電腦孤兒／电脑孤儿
• 高悝匿孤
• 鰥寡孤獨／鳏寡孤独 (guānguǎgūdú)

 

References

• “孤”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

Japanese

Kanji

孤

(Jōyō kanji)

1. solitude, alone
2. orphan

Readings

• Go-on: く (ku)
• Kan-on: こ (ko, Jōyō)
• Kun: みなしご (minashigo, 孤)、ひとり (hitori, 孤り)

Compounds

Compounds

• 遺(い)孤(こ) (iko): orphan
• 孤(こ)雲(うん) (kōn)
• 孤(こ)影(えい) (koei)
• 孤(こ)猿(えん) (koen)
• 孤(こ)介(かい) (kokai)
• 孤(こ)客(かく) (kokaku)
• 孤(こ)雁(がん) (kogan)
• 孤(こ)笈(きゅう) (kokyū)
• 孤(こ)衾(きん) (kokin)
• 孤(こ)軍(ぐん) (kogun)
• 孤(こ)閨(けい) (kokei)
• 孤(こ)月(げつ) (kogetsu)
• 孤(こ)剣(けん) (koken)
• 孤(こ)高(こう) (kokō)
• 孤(こ)坐(ざ) (koza)
• 孤(こ)在(ざい) (kozai)
• 孤(こ)山(ざん) (kozan)
• 孤(こ)児(じ) (koji)
• 孤(こ)弱(じゃく) (kojaku)
• 孤(こ)樹(じゅ) (koju)
• 孤(こ)舟(しゅう) (koshū)
• 孤(こ)愁(しゅう) (koshū)
• 孤(こ)称(しょう) (koshō)
• 孤(こ)聳(しょう) (koshō)
• 孤(こ)城(じょう) (kojō)
• 孤(こ)食(しょく) (koshoku)
• 孤(こ)身(しん) (koshin)
• 孤(こ)棲(せい) (kosei): living alone
• 孤(こ)絶(ぜつ) (kozetsu)
• 孤(こ)村(そん) (koson)
• 孤(こ)尊(そん) (koson)
• 孤(こ)忠(ちゅう) (kochū)
• 孤(こ)注(ちゅう) (kochū)
• 孤(こ)灯(とう) (kotō)
• 孤(こ)島(とう) (kotō)
• 孤(こ)独(どく) (kodoku)
• 孤(こ)帆(はん) (kohan)
• 孤(こ)平(ひょう) (kohyō)
• 孤(こ)峰(ほう) (kohō)
• 孤(こ)篷(ほう)庵(あん) (kohōan)
• 孤(こ)本(ほん) (kohon)
• 孤(こ)立(りつ) (koritsu): isolation
• 孤(こ)塁(るい) (korui)
• 孤(こ)例(れい) (korei)
• 孤(こ)老(ろう) (korō)
• 孤(こ)陋(ろう) (korō)
• 単(たん)孤(こ) (tanko)
• 徳(とく)は孤(こ)ならず必(かなら)ず隣(となり)あり (toku wa ko narazu kanarazu tonari ari)
• 孤児(みなしご) (minashigo)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
孤
こ Grade: S
on'yomi

From Middle Chinese 孤 (MC ku).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) こ [kóꜜ] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [ko̞]

Noun

孤(こ) • (ko) 

1. an orphan
2. solitude

Adjective

孤(こ) • (ko) -na (adnominal 孤(こ)な (ko na), adverbial 孤(こ)に (ko ni))

1. solitary

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
孤
みなしご Grade: S
kun'yomi

For pronunciation and definitions of 孤 – see the following entry.

【みなしご】 [noun] an orphan Alternative spelling 孤児

(This term, 孤, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 孤 (MC ku). Recorded as Middle Korean 고 (kwo) (Yale: ko) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Hanja

Wikisource

孤 (eumhun 외로울 고 (oeroul go))

1. hanja form^? of 고 (“solitude; orphan”)

Compounds

Compounds

• 고립 (孤立, gorip, “isolation”)
• 고독 (孤獨, godok, “loneliness”)
• 고아 (孤兒, goa, “orphan”)
• 고아원 (孤兒院, goawon, “orphanage”)

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [2]

Vietnamese

Han character

孤: Hán Nôm readings: cô, co, còi, côi, go, gò

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.