苦于 (kǔ yú) — to be troubled by; to suffer from (a problem, limitation, or difficult situation)

Definition

A written verb meaning 'to be troubled / plagued by' a persistent problem (e.g. 苦于资金不足 'plagued by insufficient funds'). Found in formal prose, not daily speech.

verb
to be troubled byto suffer from (a problem, limitation, or difficult situation)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 苦于，。
    Tā kǔ yú zī jīn bù zú, wú fǎ kuò dà shēng chǎn.
    He is troubled by insufficient funds and cannot expand production.
  • 苦于，。
    Xǔ duō qǐ yè kǔ yú rén cái duǎn quē, fā zhǎn huǎn màn.
    Many enterprises suffer from a talent shortage and develop slowly.
  • 苦于。
    Tā kǔ yú zhǎo bú dào hé shì de hé zuò huǒ bàn.
    She is troubled by not being able to find a suitable partner.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

苦kǔsuffer
于yúto

苦 carries the sense of suffering, and 于 points to the trouble one suffers from.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
古
古gǔ苦kǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The top 艸 shows grass or plants, matching the sense of bitter plants. The bottom 古 gives the sound.

Open 苦 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 一一yīflat stream of air
  • 丂丂kǎoto exhale

The old shape of 于 may have pictured an ancient wind instrument. Another explanation reads 一 as a flat stream of air and 丂 as an exhaling mark.

Open 于 →

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