The difference between 单独 and 独自

The adverb 独自

emphasizes that a person is doing something alone.

Examples

他独自坐在黑暗中

He sits in the dark room alone

tā dúzì zuò zài hēi'àn zhōng

我不喜欢独自在家

I don't like being home alone

wǒ bù xǐhuan dúzì zài jiā

他独自一人沿着这条街走

He's walking down the street alone

tā dúzì yì rén yánzhe zhè tiáo jiē zǒu

The adverb 单独

emphasizes that one or more people are doing something without the involvement of anyone else.

Examples

我想和你单独谈谈

I want to talk to you alone

wǒ xiǎng hé nǐ dāndú tántan

他们先单独照相，然后合影

First they will be photographed individually, and then they will take a group photo

tāmen xiān dāndú zhàoxiàng, ránhòu héyǐng

他们单独走到房间里去谈话

They went into the room to talk alone

tāmen dāndú zǒudào fángjiān lǐ qù tánhuà

We can also use 单独 in the meaning "individually" when talking about inanimate objects.

Pay attention

We cannot use 独自 in this way.

Examples

每份订单都单独编号

Each order is individually numbered

měi fèn dìngdān dōu dāndú biānhào

这些涂料可单独或混合使用

These paint coatings can be used both separately and mixed together

zhèxiē túliào kě dāndú huò hùnhé shǐyòng

As an adjective

单独 can also be used as an adjective "separate", "independent". In this case, it is followed by the particle 的

Pay attention

独自 cannot be used as an adjective.

Examples

本科生上课有单独的教室

Undergraduate students have separate classrooms

běnkēshēng shàngkè yǒu dāndú de jiàoshì

这些国家不能再被看成是一个单独的实体

These countries can no longer be considered as a separate entity

zhèxiē guójiā bù néng zài bèi kànchéng shì yí ge dāndú de shítǐ

When 单独 and 独自 have the same meaning

The adverbs 独自 and 单独 are interchangeable in the meaning "to do something on one's own".

Examples

你太年轻了，恐怕不能单独一人完成这个任务

I'm afraid you're too young to do it on your own

nǐ tài niánqīng le, kǒngpà bù néng dāndú yì rén wánchéng zhè ge rènwù

你太年轻了，恐怕不能独自一人完成这个任务

I'm afraid you're too young to do it on your own

nǐ tài niánqīng le, kǒngpà bù néng dúzì yì rén wánchéng zhè ge rènwù

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