苦 (kǔ) - bitter & hardship

苦Tone 3

kǔ ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 艹

俊梁

苦 · kǔ

bitter;

hardship;

suffering;

pain;

to suffer;

to cause suffering;

diligently

bitterhardshipsuffering

Usage highlights

bitter tastesuffer hardshipdiligent studybitter medicinehardship and fatiguebitter cold

Synonyms

  • 涩— astringent, puckery
  • 辛— pungent, spicy
  • 艰难— difficult, hard

Antonyms

  • 甜— sweet
  • 乐— happy, joyful
  • 甘— sweet, pleasant

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • This medicine tastes very bitter (苦味).
  • He endured great hardship in his youth (吃苦).
  • She works very diligently (刻苦).
  • Life is full of hardships (人生苦短).

Collocations

  • bitter taste(苦味)
  • suffer hardship(吃苦)
  • diligent study(刻苦学习)
  • bitter medicine(苦药)
  • hardship and fatigue(苦累)
  • bitter cold(苦寒)

Idioms

  • Bitterness ends and sweetness begins(苦尽甘来)
  • Endure hardship and work hard(吃苦耐劳)
  • Bitter heart and diligent effort(苦心孤诣)
  • Bitter experience and deep hatred(苦大仇深)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese philosophy, bitterness is often seen as a necessary precursor to sweetness and success.
  • The character reflects the Buddhist concept of 'dukkha' - the inherent suffering in life.
  • Traditional Chinese medicine values bitter foods and herbs for their cooling and detoxifying properties.

FAQ