孤立

• Pinyin: gū lì
• Hanzi breakdown: 孤 = 子 (child) + 瓜 (gourd hanging alone) — an individual without connection; 立 = a person standing upright on the ground — to stand alone, without support

Meaning

Isolated; to isolate. As an adjective: cut off from others, without support or connection. As a verb: to deliberately exclude or marginalise someone or something.

孤立 can describe physical, social, diplomatic, or analytical isolation. In international politics: 外交孤立 (diplomatic isolation). In group dynamics: 被孤立 (to be shunned by the group). In academic analysis: 孤立地看问题 (to view a problem in isolation, without broader context). The fixed phrase 孤立无援 (isolated and without help) is widely used.

Examples

1. 由于长期推行单边主义政策，该国在国际社会上日益孤立，外交空间越来越窄。 Because it has pursued unilateral policies for a long time, the country has become increasingly isolated in the international community, with less and less diplomatic room to maneuver.
2. 研究表明，长期处于社会孤立状态的人，其健康风险显著高于有良好社会联系的群体。 Research shows that people who are socially isolated for long periods face significantly higher health risks than those with strong social connections.
3. 这个村庄地处偏远山区，交通极为不便，长期以来与外界相对孤立。 This village is deep in the mountains and extremely hard to reach, and it has long been relatively cut off from the outside world.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, diplomacy, social dynamics, psychology, academic analysis

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 任何国家都不应孤立地处理全球性问题，多边合作才是应对气候变化的有效途径。(No country should address global problems in isolation; multilateral cooperation is the effective path to tackling climate change.)
• 当班级中出现孤立同学的现象时，教师应及时介入，营造包容友善的学习环境。(When the phenomenon of a classmate being isolated emerges in a class, teachers should intervene promptly and foster an inclusive and friendly learning environment.)

Don't Say

• 将'孤立'仅理解为情感上的孤独感 — 孤立 primarily describes a structural or relational condition of being cut off from support or community; for the subjective feeling of emotional loneliness use 孤单 or 孤独

Origin & History

孤 (orphaned; alone; without support) + 立 (to stand; to establish a position). Together: standing alone without backing — isolated.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal