📖 Meaning
Literally a wild goose cut off from its flock and flying alone. It metaphorically describes someone who lives in solitude, most commonly referring to a man who remains unmarried and without a companion.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom comes from the Ming dynasty drama "红拂记" (The Story of the Red Whisk) by Zhang Fengyi, in the act "杨公完偶" (Lord Yang Completes a Match). In the play, a character addresses Xu Sheng with the line: "You have long been like a severed goose, alone and solitary — have you ever sought a partner?" The image draws on the migratory behavior of wild geese, which fly in tight formations, making a lone straggler a poignant symbol of isolation.
💡 Example Usage
他年过三十仍是断雁孤鸿，父母颇为着急。
He is past thirty and still a lone bachelor, which worries his parents quite a bit.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 断雁孤鸿
- Pinyin: duàn yàn gū hóng
- Literal Translation: severed goose, solitary swan
- Category: Status
- Characters: 4