adjective / verb HSK 4
Traditional 獨立
independent · to stand alone · independence
Meaning
独立 means to be independent or self-reliant, both in the sense of personal autonomy and political sovereignty. It describes someone or something that can function without depending on others, or the state of being separate and self-governing.
Usage
Commonly used to describe personal independence (独立思考 'think independently'), national independence (国家独立), or financial self-sufficiency. Can function as both an adjective ('She is very independent') and a verb ('The country became independent in 1776'). Often paired with 自主 (zì zhǔ) in formal contexts.
Examples
- 01她从大学毕业后就经济独立了。.She became financially independent after graduating from college.
- 02我们要培养孩子独立思考的能力。.We need to cultivate children's ability to think independently.
Characters
Common collocations
- 独立思考to think independently
- 经济独立financially independent
- 独立自主independent and self-reliant
- 宣布独立to declare independence
Antonyms
Origin
Literally 'alone-stand,' combining the character for 'alone' with 'to stand,' creating the image of standing on one's own without support.