Difference between 独り and 一人?

[celticflower]

Hello

Would anyone be able to give me a basic explanation as to the difference between 独り and 一人 (pronunciation ひとり)?

I know they both basically mean alone, and I’ve seen the latter used in an Arashi song to mean I am not alone (I think), 一人じゃない, so if you use ‘1 person’ to mean alone, when do you use 独り?

They both show up in each other’s listings at jisho.org, so maybe interchangeable? Or is it just the dreaded grammar thing, how you use it in a sentence?

Thanks for your time.

Clare

[clay]

独り and 一人 both mean "one person" but seeing 独 reminds the reader of こどく (isolation; loneliness; solitude).

The Microsoft IME dictionary has a usage note confirming this. Use 一人 when counting people and 独り when someone is sad and alone.

[celticflower]

Thank you