坚苦 (jiān kǔ) — persevering through hardship; steadfast and hardworking

Definition

Literary/formal adjective meaning 'steadfast through hardship' — emphasizes enduring艰苦 (hardship) with perseverance. Less common than the everyday 刻苦, which stresses hard work itself.

adjective
persevering through hardshipsteadfast and hardworking
Easily confused

Examples

  • 坚苦。
    Tā jiān kǔ de fèn dòu jīng shén zhí dé jìng pèi.
    His spirit of persevering through hardship is worthy of admiration.
  • 坚苦，。
    Tā hěn jiān kǔ, cóng bú pà chī kǔ.
    She is steadfast in hardship and never fears suffering.
  • ，坚苦。
    Zài kùn nan miàn qián, jiān kǔ de tài dù bǐ cōng ming gèng zhòng yào.
    In the face of difficulty, a persevering attitude is more important than intelligence.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

坚jiānfirm
苦kǔhardship

坚苦 combines 坚 for firmness and 苦 for hardship, meaning steadfast through difficulty.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 堅; 坚 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
臤
臤qiān堅jiān
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 堅 pairs 臤, giving the sound, with 土, earth, giving the sense; the simplified 坚 is a later shorthand.

Open 坚 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
古
古gǔ苦kǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The top 艸 shows grass or plants, matching the sense of bitter plants. The bottom 古 gives the sound.

Open 苦 →

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