คนเดียว
alone
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 alone、by oneself、on one’s own
- 2 the only person、the one and only、one-person-only
- 3 one person、party of one
This expression centers on the idea of “one person only.” It can mean doing something alone, being the only person in a group or role, or simply “one person” as a count.
alone、by oneself、on one’s own
Used after a verb to show that someone does something alone, without companions or help.
-
ไปคนเดียว pay khon diaw go alone ไปคนเดียว details
-
ฉันอยู่คนเดียว chǎn yùu khon diaw I am alone / I live alone. ฉันอยู่คนเดียว details
Show more (1)
-
เขาทำงานนี้คนเดียว khǎw tham ŋaan níi khon diaw He did this work by himself. เขาทำงานนี้คนเดียว details
the only person、the one and only、one-person-only
Shows that only one person fits a role or condition, often meaning “the only person who...”
-
เขาเป็นลูกคนเดียว khǎw pen lûuk khon diaw He is an only child. เขาเป็นลูกคนเดียว details
one person、party of one
Used as a noun phrase meaning “one person,” especially when stating the number of people in practical situations such as seating or reservations.
-
คนเดียวครับ khon diaw khráp One person, please. คนเดียวครับ details
-
โต๊ะสำหรับคนเดียว tó sǎmràp khon diaw a table for one โต๊ะสำหรับคนเดียว details
Learning notes
Explanation
คน means “person,” and เดียว means “single” or “only,” so คนเดียว is built around the idea of one person only. The most common pattern is verb + คนเดียว, as in ไปคนเดียว “go alone” or กินข้าวคนเดียว “eat alone.” The word itself does not necessarily imply loneliness; use เหงา if you want to say someone feels lonely.
Usage
It is very common in everyday speech. You will hear it when talking about going somewhere, eating, living, traveling, working, making reservations, or answering whether someone is alone or with others.
Caution
For “do something alone,” คนเดียว is usually more natural than หนึ่งคน. หนึ่งคน sounds more like counting one person. Also, อยู่คนเดียว can mean either “be alone now” or “live alone,” depending on context.
Differences from similar words
1 alone synonyms
-
ด้วยตัวเอง means “by oneself” with focus on doing something personally or independently. คนเดียว focuses more on being the only person present or involved.
-
ตามลำพัง also means “alone” or “without help,” but it sounds a bit more formal and can emphasize being without support. คนเดียว is the everyday, neutral choice.
2 the only person synonyms
-
เพียงคนเดียว strongly emphasizes “only one person.” คนเดียว can already mean “the only one,” but เพียง adds extra emphasis.