离群索居

離群索居

líqúnsuǒjū

idiom #35,911

Meanings

1 to live alone away from the crowd
2 to live in isolation
3 to be a recluse

Characters

alone, solitary

Examples

退休后他选择离群索居，住在山里。

Tuìxiū hòu tā xuǎnzé líqúnsuǒjū, zhù zài shān lǐ.

After retiring, he chose to live as a recluse in the mountains.

长期离群索居对心理健康不利。

Chángqí líqúnsuǒjū duì xīnlǐ jiànkāng bùlì.

Long-term isolation is bad for mental health.

Tips

history

From 《礼记·檀弓上》: 吾离群而索居，亦已久矣 — 'I have left the group and lived alone for a long time now.' Originally Confucius's disciple Zixia lamenting his solitude after a son's death. 索 here means 'alone/solitary,' not 'rope.'

Stroke Order

离 lí

群 qún

索 suǒ

居 jū