孤 Stroke Order — How to Write 孤

Stroke Order

孤 is written in 8 strokes, following the standard Chinese stroke order. Start from the radical 子, then complete the remaining strokes.

Stroke order matters in Chinese: it keeps the character balanced, and it is how dictionaries and handwriting input methods expect a character to be written.

孤 Radical and Character Components

Components:子瓜

孤 is a phono-semantic compound: 子 (child) carries the meaning, while 瓜 indicates the sound.

Radical: 子 + 5 more strokes

孤 Pronunciation and Pinyin

Meanings of 孤 in Chinese

gū孤

Refers to being fatherless or orphaned in childhood; also broadly refers to solitary or vulnerable individuals, like orphans, widows, or the elderly without support.

他是个孤儿，很小的时候父母就去世了

He was an orphan; his parents passed away when he was very young.

Alone; solitary; isolated.

在异乡，他感到特别孤独。

In a foreign land, he felt particularly lonely.

An ancient imperial self-appellation, meaning 'I' or 'We' (the emperor). For example, in '孤家' (gū jiā, lit. lonely one's household) or '孤王' (gū wáng, lit. lonely king).

孤乃天下之主，岂能言而无信？

I, the lord of all under heaven, how can I be untrustworthy?

To let down, to fail to live up to (similar to 辜负 gūfù). Often refers to betraying trust or expectations.

他不想孤负大家的信任。

He doesn't want to let down everyone's trust.

Common Words and Phrases with 孤

gū孤āi哀zǐ子

a son who has lost both parents

自父母相继离世后，他便成了孤哀子，生活虽苦，却从未放弃孝顺之心。

After his parents passed away one after another, he became an orphaned son. Although life was difficult, he never gave up his filial piety.

gū孤ào傲

Proud and aloof; haughty and solitary.

她虽然才华横溢，但性情孤傲，很少与同事们主动交流。

Although she is highly talented, her aloof nature means she rarely initiates conversations with her colleagues.

gū孤bá拔

Prominent and solitary, often implying aloofness or arrogance.

那座山峰孤拔入云，气势磅礴。

That mountain peak stands tall and prominently into the clouds, majestic and grand.

gū孤běn本

An only existing copy of a book, manuscript, or rubbing.

图书馆里收藏了一部明代的孤本手稿，非常珍贵。

The library houses a unique manuscript from the Ming Dynasty, which is extremely precious.

gū孤chén臣niè孽zǐ子

A solitary minister and a perverse son, used metaphorically to describe someone in deep distress, hardship, or a vulnerable, marginalized state.

在那个竞争激烈的团队里，他觉得自己像个孤臣孽子，努力却无人问津。

In that highly competitive team, he felt like an isolated and marginalized individual, working hard but receiving no recognition.

gū孤dān单

Alone; lonely.

她在异乡生活，常常感到孤单

She lives in a foreign land and often feels lonely.

gū孤dǎn胆

solitary and heroic; displaying exceptional courage, often when fighting alone against many.

那位侦探以孤胆的勇气，独自追查线索，最终破获了复杂的案件。

With solitary courage, the detective single-handedly pursued clues, eventually solving the complex case.

gū孤dǎo岛

an isolated island, far from the mainland and without other islands nearby.

这座灯塔矗立在海洋中的一座孤岛上，为夜间航行的船只指引方向

This lighthouse stands on an isolated island in the ocean, guiding ships navigating at night.

gū孤dú独

Lonely, isolated, or solitary; a state of being by oneself and lacking companionship or support.

这个老人无儿无女，晚年生活常常感到孤独

This old person has no children and often feels a sense of loneliness in their later years.

gū孤dú犊

An orphaned young animal, especially a calf, that has lost its mother.

暴风雨过后，人们发现一只可怜的孤犊在草地上独自徘徊，它的母亲可能已在洪水中失踪。

After the storm, people found a pitiful orphaned calf wandering alone in the grassland; its mother might have gone missing in the flood.

gū孤ér儿

An orphan; a child who has lost one or both parents.

村里新开了一家福利院，专门收养无家可归的孤儿

A new orphanage has opened in the village, specifically to take in homeless orphans.

gū孤fāng芳zì自shǎng赏

To indulge in self-admiration, often implying a sense of aloofness or pride in one's own perceived exceptional qualities.

她虽然才华横溢，却总是孤芳自赏，很少与人交流，导致她的作品不被大众理解。

Although she is highly talented, she always revels in her own unique qualities and is quite aloof, rarely communicating with others, which leads to her works not being understood by the general public.

gū孤gāo高

Proud and aloof; characterized by a distinguished and independent spirit that often leads to a solitary existence.