Definition
受苦 (shòu kǔ) means 'to endure hardship or suffering', often over a long period (e.g., poverty, illness). It is a separable verb (离合词) — the object 苦 can take modifiers (受了一辈子的苦). Unlike 吃苦 (chī kǔ), which emphasizes willingly bearing hardships for a goal, 受苦 focuses on the state of suffering, and it is broader than 受罪 (shòu zuì), which refers to a specific unpleasant experience.
verb
to suffer hardshipto endure suffering
Examples
- 受苦。Tā xiǎoshíhou shòu kǔ hěn duō.He suffered a lot when he was a child.
- ，。Tā shòu le yí bèizi de kǔ, wǎnnián cái guò shàng hǎo rìzi.She suffered a lifetime of hardship and only lived well in her old age.
- ，受苦。Wèile háizi, zài shòu kǔ yě zhídé.For the children, even more suffering is worth it.
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