ひとりぼっち

Japanese

Alternative spellings
独りぼっち 独り法師 一人ぼっち

Alternative forms

• ひとりぽっち (hitoripotchi)

Etymology

独り (hitori, “one person; lone”) +‎ 法師 (hōshi, hosshi, “Buddhist monk”)

/hitoribopusi/ → /hitoribossi/ → /hitoribotti/

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ひとりぼっち [hìtóríbóꜜtchì] (Nakadaka – [4])
• IPA^(key): [çi̥to̞ɾʲibo̞t̚t͡ɕi]

Noun

ひとりぼっち • (hitoribotchi) 

1. loneliness; solitude
   • 1988 July 30 [1984 July 25], Fujiko F. Fujio, “ふたりぼっち”, in ポストの中の明日 (藤子不二雄少年SF短編集; 2), 10th edition, volume 2 (fiction), Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN, page 190:

     「ぼくはひとりぼっちにもどった………」

     “Boku wa hitoribotchi ni modotta………”

     “And I’m back to being alone again………”

   • 2009, “君の知らない物語”, ryo (lyrics), performed by supercell:

     やっと見(み)つけた織(おり)姫(ひめ)様(さま)
     だけどどこだろう彦(ひこ)星(ぼし)様(さま)
     これじゃひとりぼっち

     yatto mitsuketa Orihime-sama
     da kedo doko darō Hikoboshi-sama
     kore ja hitoribotchi

     We've finally found the Weaver Girl,
     but where's her Cowherd?
     If this is how it is, she's all alone

2. (archaic, literal) solitary monk

Related terms

• ぼっち (botchi)