独身（どくしん、dokushin）
- single

The Japanese word 独身, pronounced どくしん (dokushin), means "single," "unmarried," or "bachelor/spinster." It refers to a person who has never been married, or who is not currently married. It's a common term used to describe someone's marital status.

⚫︎彼は独身です。 Translation: He is single. ⚫︎彼女は独身で、仕事に集中しています。 Translation: She is single and focused on her work. ⚫︎独身の友人が結婚しました。 Translation: My single friend got married.

⚫︎You can use 独身 to describe your own marital status, or the marital status of others. ⚫︎It's a neutral term and can be used in both formal and informal situations. ⚫︎It is often used when filling out forms, answering questions about your family, or simply describing your life situation.

⚫︎The word is primarily written using the kanji 独身. ⚫︎The reading is どくしん (in hiragana). ⚫︎There are no variations in okurigana.

⚫︎There aren't many direct synonyms, but phrases describing the unmarried state: ⚫︎未婚 (mikkon) - unmarried (formal) ⚫︎一人暮らし (hitorigurashi) - living alone (implies single status)

⚫︎既婚 (kikon) - married ⚫︎結婚している (kekkon shiteiru) - married (more descriptive)

私は今独身です。 ・Translation: I am single right now. ・Explanation: This sentence simply states one's marital status.

田中さんは独身ですか？ ・Translation: Is Mr./Ms. Tanaka single? ・Explanation: This is a polite way to ask about someone's marital status.

⚫︎独 (doku) means "single," "alone," or "unique". ⚫︎身 (shin) means "body," "person," or "self". ⚫︎Therefore, 独身 literally translates to "single person" or "a person on their own".