艱 (jiān) - Difficult, hard, arduous & hardship, suffering

艱Tone 1

jiān ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

嘉健

艱 · jiān

Difficult, hard, arduous;

hardship, suffering;

poverty-stricken.

Difficult, hard, arduoushardship, sufferingpoverty-stricken.

Usage highlights

Difficult and arduousHardship and sufferingDifficult and dangerousGreat difficultyHardship and povertyDifficulty and bitterness

Synonyms

  • 難— difficult, hard
  • 苦— bitter, suffering
  • 困— difficult,困苦

Antonyms

  • 易— easy, simple
  • 安— peaceful, comfortable
  • 樂— happy, joyful

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The journey was extremely difficult (艱難).
  • They endured great hardship (艱苦).
  • We are facing difficult times (艱困).
  • This is a difficult task (艱巨).

Collocations

  • Difficult and arduous(艱難)
  • Hardship and suffering(艱苦)
  • Difficult and dangerous(艱險)
  • Great difficulty(艱巨)
  • Hardship and poverty(艱困)
  • Difficulty and bitterness(艱辛)

Idioms

  • Endure all kinds of hardships(備嘗艱苦)
  • Through thick and thin(艱苦卓絕)
  • Uphold integrity in poverty(艱貞)
  • The path ahead is full of difficulties(前途艱險)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In classical Chinese, 艱 often referred to parental mourning duties, especially '丁艱' meaning mourning for a deceased parent.
  • The character embodies the Confucian virtue of enduring hardship with resilience and maintaining moral integrity.
  • Frequently appears in literature describing challenging circumstances that test one's character and determination.

FAQ