苦头 (kǔ tou) — (figurative) hardship, suffering, trouble; (literal) bitter taste
Definition
A noun for hardship or bitterness (literal or figurative), almost always used in the set phrase 吃苦头 ('suffer hardship'). The literal 'bitter taste' sense is rare outside this phrase.
noun
(figurative) hardshipsufferingtrouble(literal) bitter taste
Examples
- ,苦头。Dì yī cì chī kǔ guā, wǒ què shí cháng dào le tā de kǔ tou.The first time I ate bitter melon, I really tasted its bitterness.
- ,苦头。Tā méi tīng quàn gào, zhōng yú chī le dà kǔ tou.He didn't listen to advice and finally suffered greatly.
- ,苦头。Chuàng yè chū qī, wǒ men chī le bù shǎo kǔ tou.In the early days of the startup, we suffered a lot of hardship.
Appears in
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