難 (nán) - Difficult, hard & hardship, adversity

難Tone 2

nán ｜ 19 strokes ｜ radical:

楠念

難 · nán

Difficult, hard;

hardship, adversity;

to make difficult;

to put someone in a difficult position;

also used as a surname.

Difficult, hardhardship, adversityto make difficult

Usage highlights

DifficultHard to avoidHard to sayHard to endureHard to understandHard to deal with

Synonyms

  • 艰— Difficult, hard
  • 困— Difficulty, hardship
  • 苦— Hardship, suffering

Antonyms

  • 易— Easy, simple
  • 简— Simple, uncomplicated
  • 便— Convenient, easy

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • This math problem is very difficult (这道题很难).
  • We encountered many difficulties (我们遇到很多困难).
  • It's hard to avoid making mistakes (难免会犯错).
  • Don't make things difficult for him (别为难他了).

Collocations

  • Difficult(困难)
  • Hard to avoid(难免)
  • Hard to say(难说)
  • Hard to endure(难忍)
  • Hard to understand(难懂)
  • Hard to deal with(难办)

Idioms

  • Difficulties and hardships(艰难困苦)
  • Hard to advance or retreat(进退两难)
  • Hard to get along with(难兄难弟)
  • Hard to put into words(难言之隐)
  • Hard to fulfill both sides(左右为难)
  • Hard to guard against(防不胜防)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese philosophy, difficulties are seen as opportunities for growth and character development.
  • The character appears in many proverbs about perseverance and overcoming adversity.
  • Used in both positive contexts (challenges to overcome) and negative contexts (suffering).

FAQ