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苦不堪言 (kǔ bù kān yán) — 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 bù kān yán.
    That period of life was truly unspeakably miserable.
  • 苦不堪言，。
    Shī qù qīn rén de tòng kǔ kǔ bù kān yán, 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 bù kān yán.
    The disasters brought by war made the common people suffer unspeakable misery.

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