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单

dān

1. adjective single; alone

   他单手就能提起这桶水。

   Tā dān shǒu jiù néng tí qǐ zhè tǒng shuǐ.

   He can lift this bucket of water with one hand.

2. adjective odd (of numbers)

   一、三、五是单数。

   Yī、sān、wǔ shì dānshù.

   One, three, and five are odd numbers.

3. adjective unlined (of clothes)

   天冷了，穿单衣不够了。

   Tiān lěng le, chuān dānyī bùgòu le.

   It's getting cold — a single-layer jacket isn't enough.

4. adverb only; merely

   单说不做是不行的。

   Dān shuō bù zuò shì bùxíng de.

   Just talking without doing won't work.

5. noun list; bill

   请把购物单给我看看。

   Qǐng bǎ gòuwùdān gěi wǒ kànkan.

   Please show me the shopping list.

6. noun sheet (bed sheet, cover)

   床单该洗了。

   Chuángdān gāi xǐ le.

   The bed sheet needs washing.

The full ChinesePath dictionary entry for 单 includes audio for every reading and example sentence, more example sentences, collocations, synonyms and links to the course units where it is taught.