Definition
苦 (kǔ) means 'bitter' in taste and 'hard, painful' in life or work. It is broader than 痛苦 (tòng kǔ), which focuses on emotional or physical suffering, and 艰苦 (jiān kǔ), which describes arduous conditions or work. 苦 is the everyday word for both taste and difficulty.
adjective
bitter (taste)hardpainfuldifficult (life, experience, work)
Easily confused
- 节jiélook-alike(classifier) for segments of connected things: lessons, train cars, sections
- 酷kùsound-alike(loanword) cool, stylish, hip
- 若ruòlook-alike(conjunction) if, supposing that
- 哭kūsound-aliketo cry, to weep
- 库kùsound-alikewarehouse, storehouse
Examples
- 苦。Zhè zhǒng yào hěn kǔ.This kind of medicine is very bitter.
- 苦，。Tā de shēnghuó hěn kǔ, dànshì hěn kuàilè.His life is hard, but he is very happy.
- 苦，。Tā gōngzuò hěn kǔ, měitiān dōu hěn wǎn huí jiā.Her work is hard; she comes home very late every day.
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