苦不堪言 (kǔ bú) — to suffer unspeakable misery; indescribable hardship (idiom)
Definition
Chengyu meaning suffering is too extreme to put into words — 苦 focuses on the bitterness of hardship, not physical pain. Used formally in writing about misery that defies description.
idiom
to suffer unspeakable miseryindescribable hardship (idiom)
Examples
- 苦不堪言。Nà duàn shēng huó zhēn shì kǔ bú.That period of life was truly unspeakably miserable.
- 苦不堪言,。Shī qù qīn rén de tòng kǔ kǔ bú, páng rén hěn nán tǐ huì.The pain of losing a loved one is indescribably bitter; others can hardly understand.
- 苦不堪言。Zhàn zhēng dài lái de zāi nàn ràng bǎi xìng kǔ bú.The disasters brought by war made the common people suffer unspeakable misery.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.