孤独

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 孤独 is a noun and na-adjective read こどく, referring to loneliness or a state of solitude.
• Basic usage: Use 孤独を感じる for the feeling and 孤独な when modifying a noun.
  • 一人でいることと孤独を感じることは同じではない。 distinguishes being alone from feeling lonely; 転校したばかりの彼は強い孤独を感じていた。 describes a newly transferred student feeling intense loneliness.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 孤独を感じる
  • を marks loneliness as the feeling experienced.
• 一人でいること
  • The objective condition of being alone is contrasted with the emotional experience of loneliness.
• 転校したばかり
  • たばかり places the transfer in the recent past.