TongTong
Sign in

艰巨 (jiān jù) — arduous; very difficult; formidable

Definition

For huge, long-term tasks that demand sustained effort — stronger than 辛苦 (tiring) and 艰苦 (tough conditions). Used in formal/written contexts like 工程, 任务, 使命.

adjective
arduousvery difficultformidable

Examples

  • 艰巨，。
    Zhè xiàng gōng chéng fēi cháng jiān jù, xū yào dà jiā de nǔ lì.
    This project is very arduous and requires everyone's effort.
  • 艰巨，。
    Miàn duì rú cǐ jiān jù de rèn wu, tā réng rán jiān chí wán chéng le.
    Such a formidable task, he still persevered and completed it.
  • 艰巨，。
    Zǒu zài pān dēng gāo fēng de jiān jù dào lù shang, wǒ men bù néng fàng qì.
    On the arduous path of climbing the peak, we cannot give up.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

艰jiāndifficult
巨jùgreat or heavy

艰 means difficult and 巨 means great or heavy, so the idea is a task that is both demanding and weighty.

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 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 巨 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 5Good & Bad

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.