困厄 (kùn è) — (noun) dire straits, hardship; (verb phrase) to be in dire straits, to be poverty-stricken

Definition

Examples

• 他在困厄中依然保持乐观。
  Tā zài kùn è zhōng yī rán bǎo chí lè guān.
  He remains optimistic even in dire straits.
• 这个家庭困厄多年，终于走出了困境。
  Zhè ge jiā tíng kùn è duō nián, zhōng yú zǒu chū le kùn jìng.
  This family was poverty-stricken for years and finally got out of trouble.
• 面对困厄，他没有退缩。
  Miàn duì kùn è, tā méi yǒu tuì suō.
  Facing hardship, he did not back down.