The old man had no one to rely on, and his neighbors frequently visited him.
Tips
memory
无 (no) + 依 (to depend on, to lean on) + 无 (no) + 靠 (to rely on, to lean against) — literally 'no leaning, no relying'. The two synonyms 依 and 靠 reinforce each other for emphasis.
usage
This is a four-character idiom (成语, chéngyǔ) used to describe someone utterly alone in the world — no family, no support network, no one to turn to. It evokes pity and vulnerability.
