Hanzi
Traditional
苦
Simplified
苦

bitter/hardship/pain/to suffer/to bring suffering to/painstakingly

Hanzi

Grade

Grade 3

Pinyin

kǔ, gǔ, hù

Bopomofo

ㄎㄨˇ, ㄍㄨˇ, ㄏㄨˋ

Jyutping

fu2

Example sentences

痛苦 tòngkǔ
失去親人是件痛苦的事。
失去亲人是件痛苦的事。

Losing a loved one is a painful thing.

戰爭 / 战争 zhànzhēng
戰爭給人民帶來了巨大的痛苦。
战争给人民带来了巨大的痛苦。

War has brought immense suffering to the people.

苦 kǔ
這藥雖然很苦，但對身體有好處。
这药虽然很苦，但对身体有好处。

Although this medicine is bitter, it is good for the body.

霸 bà
軍閥各霸一方，百姓生活很苦。
军阀各霸一方，百姓生活很苦。

The warlords each dominated their own territory, and the common people lived in hardship.

辛苦 xīnkǔ
今天你辛苦了，早點休息吧。
今天你辛苦了，早点休息吧。

You worked hard today, go rest early.

農民 / 农民 nóngmín
農民在田裡辛苦地工作。
农民在田里辛苦地工作。

The farmers work hard in the fields.

何苦 hékǔ
為了一點小事生氣，何苦呢？
为了一点小事生气，何苦呢？

Why bother getting angry over such a small thing?

刻苦 kèkǔ
他通過刻苦學習考上了大學。
他通过刻苦学习考上了大学。

He got into university through hard work in studying.

爲此 / 为此 wèicǐ
他想通過考試，爲此每天都刻苦學習。
他想通过考试，为此每天都刻苦学习。

He wanted to pass the exam; for this reason, he studied hard every day.

受苦 shòukǔ
戰爭中的老百姓總是在受苦。
战争中的老百姓总是在受苦。

The common people in war are always suffering.

Example Vocabulary

痛苦

tong4'ku3

suffering; agony; painful

苦

ku3

bitter; painful; hardship; with great effort

辛苦

xin1'ku3

hard work; to work hard; laborious

何苦

he2'ku3

why bother; is it worth it

刻苦

ke4'ku3

hardworking; assiduous; painstaking

千辛万苦

受苦

shou4'ku3

to suffer; to endure hardship

吃苦

chi1'ku3

to bear hardships; to suffer

不辭辛苦

倒苦水

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