艰难险阻 (jiān nán xiǎn zǔ) — difficulties and obstacles; hardships and dangers

Definition

A formal idiom covering ALL kinds of hardship at once — difficulty, danger, and obstacles. Used in writing or speeches, far stronger than everyday words like 困难.

idiom
difficulties and obstacleshardships and dangers

Examples

  • ，艰难险阻。
    Zài chuàng yè de dào lù shang, wǒ men yù dào le wú shù jiān nán xiǎn zǔ.
    On the path of entrepreneurship, we encountered countless difficulties and obstacles.
  • 艰难险阻，。
    Zhǐ yǒu kè fú yí qiè jiān nán xiǎn zǔ, cái néng shí xiàn mèng xiǎng.
    Only by overcoming all difficulties and obstacles can we realize our dreams.
  • 艰难险阻。
    Zhè běn shū jiǎng shù le cháng zhēng zhōng de jiān nán xiǎn zǔ.
    This book recounts the hardships and obstacles during the Long March.

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.

艰难difficulties
艰jiāndifficult难nándifficult
联合Side by side
险阻obstacles
险xiǎndanger阻zǔobstacle
联合Side by side

艰难 and 险阻 together mean hardships and dangers.

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 艱; 艰 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
𦰩𦰩𦰩
Sound part声符shēngfú
艮
艮gèn艱jiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 艱 pairs 𦰩 for meaning with 艮 for sound; the simplified 艰 is a later abbreviation.

Open 艰 →

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 難; 难 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
隹隹zhuībird
Sound part声符shēngfú
暵
暵hàn難nán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional 難 pairs 隹, a bird, with 暵 for sound, and meant a type of bird. It was later borrowed for other meanings; the modern 难 is a shorthand.

Open 难 →

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 險; 险 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阝Written in full as阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
僉
僉qiān險
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 險 pairs 阝, written in full as 阜, with 僉, which gives the sound; the simplified 险 is a shorthand.

Open 险 →

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
阝Written in full as阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
且
且qiě阻zǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

阻 is built from 阝 (written in full as 阜) on the left and 且 on the right, which gives the sound.

Open 阻 →

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