1.
being single; unmarried; living alone
The state of being unmarried or without a partner, often with a nuance of living by oneself. Can refer to someone who has never married, or to someone who is widowed or divorced.
彼はずっと独り身だ。
He has been single all along.
独り身の生活も悪くない。
Living alone isn't bad either.
妻に先立たれてから十年、独り身で暮らしている。
It's been ten years since my wife passed away, and I've been living alone.
USAGE:
Can describe someone who has never married, is currently unmarried, or is living alone after a spouse's death or divorce. Often carries a slightly lonely or sympathetic nuance, but can also be used neutrally or positively to describe independence.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 独り身で暮らす (to live alone)
- 独り身の生活 (single life)
- ずっと独り身 (single all along)
- 気楽な独り身 (carefree single life)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 独身: unmarried — more formal, often used in official contexts
- 一人暮らし: living alone — focuses on the living situation rather than marital status
- シングル: single — loanword, commonly used for unmarried people