pīnyīn
pin1yin1
ㄓㄨㄧㄣ
simplified
traditional
苦
苦
ku3
bitter; hardship; pain; to suffer; to bring suffering to; painstakingly
strokes
8
radical
strokes after radical
5
矮脚苦蒿
矮腳苦蒿
ai3 jiao3 ku3 hao1
see 熊膽草|熊胆草
爱别离苦
愛別離苦
ai4 bie2 li2 ku3
(Buddhism) the pain of parting with what (or whom) one loves, one of the eight distresses 八苦
八苦
八苦
ba1 ku3
the eight distresses - birth, age, sickness, death, parting with what we love, meeting with what we hate, unattained aims, and all the ills of the five skandhas (Buddhism)
白胸苦恶鸟
白胸苦惡鳥
bai2 xiong1 ku3 e4 niao3
(bird species of China) white-breasted waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus)
悲苦
悲苦
bei1 ku3
forlorn; miserable
备尝辛苦
備嘗辛苦
bei4 chang2 xin1 ku3
to have suffered all kinds of hardships (idiom)
秘鲁苦蘵
秘魯苦蘵
bi4 lu3 ku3 zhi2
Peruvian ground-cherry; cape gooseberry; Physalis peruviana
变苦
變苦
bian4 ku3
to sour; to turn sour; to curdle
病苦
病苦
bing4 ku3
pains (of illness); sufferings (esp. in Buddhism)
不辞劳苦
不辭勞苦
bu4 ci2 lao2 ku3
to spare no effort
不辞辛苦
不辭辛苦
bu4 ci2 xin1 ku3
to make nothing of hardships
不胜其苦
不勝其苦
bu4 sheng4 qi2 ku3
unable to bear the pain (idiom)
吃得苦中苦，方为人上人
吃得苦中苦，方為人上人
chi1 de2 ku3 zhong1 ku3 - fang1 wei2 ren2 shang4 ren2
one cannot achieve glory and wealth without having been through trials and tribulations (proverb); no pain, no gain
吃苦
吃苦
chi1 ku3
to bear hardships
吃苦耐劳
吃苦耐勞
chi1 ku3 nai4 lao2
hardworking and enduring hardships (idiom)
吃苦头
吃苦頭
chi1 ku3 tou5
to suffer; to suffer for one's actions; to pay dearly; to burn one's fingers
愁苦
愁苦
chou2 ku3
anxiety; distress
愁眉苦脸
愁眉苦臉
chou2 mei2 ku3 lian3
to look anxious (idiom); to look miserable
倒苦水
倒苦水
dao4 ku3 shui3
to pour out one's grievances
倒悬之苦
倒懸之苦
dao4 xuan2 zhi1 ku3
lit. the pain of being hanged upside down (idiom); fig. extremely critical situation; dire straits
蹲苦窑
蹲苦窯
dun1 ku3 yao2
(slang) to be behind bars
二遍苦
二遍苦
er4 bian4 ku3
second persecution
访贫问苦
訪貧問苦
fang3 pin2 wen4 ku3
to visit the poor and ask about their suffering (idiom)
甘苦
甘苦
gan1 ku3
good times and hardships; joys and tribulations; for better or for worse
孤苦伶仃
孤苦伶仃
gu1 ku3 ling2 ding1
solitary and impoverished (idiom)
孤苦零丁
孤苦零丁
gu1 ku3 ling2 ding1
variant of 孤苦伶仃
含辛茹苦
含辛茹苦
han2 xin1 ru2 ku3
to suffer every possible torment (idiom); bitter hardship; to bear one's cross
何苦
何苦
he2 ku3
why bother?; is it worth the trouble?
何苦呢
何苦呢
he2 ku3 ne5
why bother?; is it worth the trouble?
红脚苦恶鸟
紅腳苦惡鳥
hong2 jiao3 ku3 e4 niao3
(bird species of China) brown crake (Amaurornis akool)
皇天不负苦心人
皇天不負苦心人
huang2 tian1 bu4 fu4 ku3 xin1 ren2
Heaven will not disappoint the person who tries (idiom). If you try hard, you're bound to succeed eventually.
疾苦
疾苦
ji2 ku3
pain and difficulties; suffering (of the people)
艰苦
艱苦
jian1 ku3
difficult; hard; arduous
艰苦奋斗
艱苦奮鬥
jian1 ku3 fen4 dou4
to struggle arduously
艰苦朴素
艱苦樸素
jian1 ku3 pu3 su4
leading a plain, hardworking life (idiom)
坚苦卓绝
堅苦卓絕
jian1 ku3 zhuo2 jue2
persisting despite trials and tribulations (idiom); conspicuous determination
叫苦
叫苦
jiao4 ku3
to whine about hardships; to complain of one's bitter lot; to complain; to grumble
叫苦不迭
叫苦不迭
jiao4 ku3 bu5 die2
to complain without stopping (idiom); to bitch endlessly; incessant grievances
叫苦连天
叫苦連天
jiao4 ku3 lian2 tian1
to whine on for days (idiom); to endlessly grumble complaints; incessant whining
刻苦
刻苦
ke4 ku3
hardworking; assiduous
刻苦耐劳
刻苦耐勞
ke4 ku3 nai4 lao2
to bear hardships and work hard (idiom); assiduous and long-suffering; hard-working and capable of overcoming adversity
刻苦努力
刻苦努力
ke4 ku3 nu3 li4
assiduous; taking great pains
刻苦学习
刻苦學習
ke4 ku3 xue2 xi2
to study hard; assiduous
刻苦钻研
刻苦鑽研
ke4 ku3 zuan1 yan2
to study diligently
苦艾
苦艾
ku3 ai4
wormwood; Artemisia absinthium
苦艾酒
苦艾酒
ku3 ai4 jiu3
absinthe (distilled anise-based liquor)
苦熬
苦熬
ku3 ao2
to endure (years of suffering)
苦不唧
苦不唧
ku3 bu5 ji1
slightly bitter
苦不唧儿
苦不唧兒
ku3 bu5 ji1 er5
erhua variant of 苦不唧
苦菜花
苦菜花
ku3 cai4 hua1
Bitter Cauliflower, 1954 socialist realist novel by Feng Deying 馮德英|冯德英 loosely based on Maxim Gorky's Mother, made into a 1967 film by Li Ang
苦差
苦差
ku3 chai1
hard task; difficult mission; arduous and unrewarding undertaking; drudgery; grind; chore
苦差事
苦差事
ku3 chai1 shi5
see 苦差
苦楚
苦楚
ku3 chu3
suffering; misery; pain (esp. psychological)
苦处
苦處
ku3 chu5
suffering; distress
苦大仇深
苦大仇深
ku3 da4 chou2 shen1
great bitterness, deep hatred (idiom); deeply ingrained long-standing resentment
苦待
苦待
ku3 dai4
treat harshly
苦胆
苦膽
ku3 dan3
gall bladder
苦迭打
苦迭打
ku3 die2 da3
coup d'état (loanword)
苦甘
苦甘
ku3 gan1
bitter sweet
苦干
苦幹
ku3 gan4
to work hard
苦根
苦根
ku3 gen1
underlying cause of poverty
苦工
苦工
ku3 gong1
hard labor (in penal code); coolie
苦功
苦功
ku3 gong1
hard work; laborious effort; painstaking work
苦瓜
苦瓜
ku3 gua1
bitter melon (bitter gourd, balsam pear, balsam apple, leprosy gourd, bitter cucumber)
苦瓜脸
苦瓜臉
ku3 gua1 lian3
sour expression on one's face
苦果
苦果
ku3 guo3
lit. bitter fruit; fig. painful consequence
苦哈哈
苦哈哈
ku3 ha1 ha1
to have difficulty getting by; to struggle (financially etc)
苦海
苦海
ku3 hai3
lit. sea of bitterness; abyss of worldly suffering (Buddhist term); depths of misery
苦海茫茫
苦海茫茫
ku3 hai3 mang2 mang2
sea of bitterness is vast (idiom)
苦海无边，回头是岸
苦海無邊，回頭是岸
ku3 hai3 wu2 bian1 - hui2 tou2 shi4 an4
The sea of bitterness has no bounds, turn your head to see the shore (idiom). Only Buddhist enlightenment can allow one to shed off the abyss of worldly suffering.; Repent and ye shall be saved!
苦寒
苦寒
ku3 han2
bitter cold
苦活
苦活
ku3 huo2
bitter work; sweated labor
苦活儿
苦活兒
ku3 huo2 er5
erhua variant of 苦活
苦集灭道
苦集滅道
ku3 ji2 mie4 dao4
the Four Noble Truths (Budd.), namely: all life is suffering 苦, the cause of suffering is desire 集, emancipation comes only by eliminating passions 滅|灭, the way 道 to emancipation is the Eight-fold Noble Way 八正道; also called 四諦|四谛
苦谏
苦諫
ku3 jian4
to admonish strenuously
苦尽甘来
苦盡甘來
ku3 jin4 gan1 lai2
bitterness finishes, sweetness begins (idiom); the hard times are over, the good times just beginning
苦境
苦境
ku3 jing4
grievance; dire straits
苦菊
苦菊
ku3 ju2
endive
苦苣
苦苣
ku3 ju4
endive
苦口
苦口
ku3 kou3
lit. bitter taste (cf good medicine tastes bitter 良藥苦口|良药苦口); fig. earnestly (of warning, advice)
苦口婆心
苦口婆心
ku3 kou3 po2 xin1
earnest and well-meaning advice (idiom); to persuade patiently
苦苦
苦苦
ku3 ku3
strenuously; persistently; hard; painful
苦苦哀求
苦苦哀求
ku3 ku3 ai1 qiu2
to entreat piteously; to implore
苦况
苦況
ku3 kuang4
wretched state; miserable plight
苦劳
苦勞
ku3 lao2
toil; hard work
苦力
苦力
ku3 li4
bitter work; hard toil; (loanword) coolie, unskilled Chinese laborer in colonial times
苦楝
苦楝
ku3 lian4
chinaberry (Melia azedarach)
苦练
苦練
ku3 lian4
to train hard; to practice diligently; hard work; blood, sweat, and tears
苦苓
苦苓
ku3 ling2
chinaberry (Melia azedarach)
苦荬菜
苦蕒菜
ku3 mai3 cai4
Ixeris denticulata
苦闷
苦悶
ku3 men4
depressed; dejected; feeling low
苦命
苦命
ku3 ming4
hard lot; bitter fate; unfortunate
苦难
苦難
ku3 nan4
suffering
苦难深重
苦難深重
ku3 nan4 shen1 zhong4
deep grief; extensive sorrow
苦恼
苦惱
ku3 nao3
vexed; distressed
苦情
苦情
ku3 qing2
wretched situation; plight; wretched; miserable
苦趣
苦趣
ku3 qu4
wretched feelings (opposite: 樂趣|乐趣, delight)
苦日子
苦日子
ku3 ri4 zi5
hard times
苦肉计
苦肉計
ku3 rou4 ji4
the trick of injuring oneself to gain the enemy's confidence
苦涩
苦澀
ku3 se4
bitter and astringent; pained; agonized
苦参
苦參
ku3 shen1
liquorice (Sophora flavescens), with roots used in TCM
苦事
苦事
ku3 shi4
hard job; arduous task
苦水
苦水
ku3 shui3
bitter water (e.g. mineral water containing sulfates); suffering; digestive fluids rising from stomach to the mouth; fig. bitter complaint
苦思
苦思
ku3 si1
to think hard; bitter thoughts; to pour out one's sufferings
苦思冥想
苦思冥想
ku3 si1 ming2 xiang3
to consider from all angles (idiom); to think hard; to rack one's brains
苦痛
苦痛
ku3 tong4
pain; suffering
苦头
苦頭
ku3 tou5
sufferings
苦味
苦味
ku3 wei4
bitter taste; bitterness
苦笑
苦笑
ku3 xiao4
to force a smile; a bitter laugh
苦心
苦心
ku3 xin1
painstaking effort; to take a lot of trouble; laborious at pains
苦心孤诣
苦心孤詣
ku3 xin1 gu1 yi4
to make painstaking efforts (idiom); after much trouble; to work hard at sth
苦心经营
苦心經營
ku3 xin1 jing1 ying2
to build up an enterprise through painstaking efforts
苦行
苦行
ku3 xing2
ascetic practice
苦刑
苦刑
ku3 xing2
torture; corporal punishment (traditionally involving mutilation or amputation)
苦行赎罪
苦行贖罪
ku3 xing2 shu2 zui4
penance (to atone for a sin)
苦杏仁苷
苦杏仁苷
ku3 xing4 ren2 gan1
amygdalin
苦窑
苦窯
ku3 yao2
(slang) prison
苦役
苦役
ku3 yi4
forced labor; corvée; penal servitude
苦因
苦因
ku3 yin1
affliction
苦战
苦戰
ku3 zhan4
bitter struggle; hard battle; arduous effort
苦蘵
苦蘵
ku3 zhi2
cutleaf ground-cherry; Physalis angulata
苦衷
苦衷
ku3 zhong1
secret trouble; sorrow; difficulties
苦中作乐
苦中作樂
ku3 zhong1 zuo4 le4
to find joy in sorrows (idiom); to enjoy sth in spite of one's suffering
苦竹
苦竹
ku3 zhu2
bitter bamboo (Pleioblastus amarus)
苦主
苦主
ku3 zhu3
victim's family (esp. in murder case)
困苦
困苦
kun4 ku3
deprivation; distressed; miserable
劳苦
勞苦
lao2 ku3
to toil; hard work
劳心苦思
勞心苦思
lao2 xin1 ku3 si1
to rack one's brains; to think hard
离苦得乐
離苦得樂
li2 ku3 de2 le4
to abandon suffering and obtain happiness (Buddhism)
良工心苦
良工心苦
liang2 gong1 xin1 ku3
expert craft from hard practice (idiom); hard-won skill; A masterpiece demands suffering.
良苦用心
良苦用心
liang2 ku3 yong4 xin1
to ponder earnestly; to give a lot of thought to sth
良药苦口
良藥苦口
liang2 yao4 ku3 kou3
good medicine tastes bitter (idiom); fig. frank criticism is hard to swallow
氯化苦
氯化苦
lv4 hua4 ku3
chloropicrin
埋头苦干
埋頭苦幹
mai2 tou2 ku3 gan4
to bury oneself in work (idiom); to be engrossed in work; to make an all-out effort; up to the neck in work
卖苦力
賣苦力
mai4 ku3 li4
to make a hard living as unskilled laborer
冥思苦索
冥思苦索
ming2 si1 ku3 suo3
to mull over (idiom); to think long and hard
冥思苦想
冥思苦想
ming2 si1 ku3 xiang3
to consider from all angles (idiom); to think hard; to rack one's brains
命苦
命苦
ming4 ku3
to be born under an ill star
皮肉之苦
皮肉之苦
pi2 rou4 zhi1 ku3
physical pain; lit. skin and flesh suffer
贫苦
貧苦
pin2 ku3
poverty-stricken; poor
凄风苦雨
淒風苦雨
qi1 feng1 ku3 yu3
lit. bleak wind and icy rain (idiom); fig. hardships; miserable circumstances
凄苦
悽苦
qi1 ku3
bleak; miserable
千辛万苦
千辛萬苦
qian1 xin1 wan4 ku3
to suffer untold hardships (idiom); trials and tribulations; with difficulty; after some effort
勤奋刻苦
勤奮刻苦
qin2 fen4 ke4 ku3
diligent; assiduous
勤苦
勤苦
qin2 ku3
hardworking; assiduous
勤学苦练
勤學苦練
qin2 xue2 ku3 lian4
to study diligently; to train assiduously
清苦
清苦
qing1 ku3
destitute but honest; poor and simple; spartan; austere
穷苦
窮苦
qiong2 ku3
impoverished; destitute
茹苦含辛
茹苦含辛
ru2 ku3 han2 xin1
bitter hardship; to bear one's cross
煞费苦心
煞費苦心
sha4 fei4 ku3 xin1
to take a lot of trouble (idiom); painstaking; at the cost of a lot of effort
受苦
受苦
shou4 ku3
to suffer hardship
诉苦
訴苦
su4 ku3
to grumble; to complain; grievance
酸甜苦辣
酸甜苦辣
suan1 tian2 ku3 la4
sour, sweet, bitter and spicy hot; fig. the joys and sorrows of life
同甘共苦
同甘共苦
tong2 gan1 gong4 ku3
shared delights and common hardships (idiom); to share life's joys and sorrows; for better or for worse
同甘苦
同甘苦
tong2 gan1 ku3
to share joys and sorrows; sharing good times and hard times; same as 同甘共苦
痛苦
痛苦
tong4 ku3
pain; suffering; painful
吐苦水
吐苦水
tu3 ku3 shui3
to have bitter digestive fluids rising to the mouth; fig. to complain bitterly; to pour out one's sufferings
脱离苦海
脫離苦海
tuo1 li2 ku3 hai3
to escape from the abyss of suffering; to shed off a wretched plight
挖苦
挖苦
wa1 ku3
to speak sarcastically; to make cutting remarks
万分痛苦
萬分痛苦
wan4 fen1 tong4 ku3
excruciating
小洞不补大洞吃苦
小洞不補大洞吃苦
xiao3 dong4 bu4 bu3 da4 dong4 chi1 ku3
A small hole not plugged will make you suffer a big hole (idiom); a stitch in time saves nine
小洞不堵，大洞吃苦
小洞不堵，大洞吃苦
xiao3 dong4 bu4 du3 - da4 dong4 chi1 ku3
A small hole not plugged will make you suffer a big hole (idiom); A stitch in time saves nine.
小洞不堵，大洞受苦
小洞不堵，大洞受苦
xiao3 dong4 bu4 du3 - da4 dong4 shou4 ku3
A small hole not plugged will make you suffer a big hole (idiom); A stitch in time saves nine.
辛苦
辛苦
xin1 ku3
exhausting; hard; tough; arduous; to work hard; to go to a lot of trouble; hardship(s)
辛辛苦苦
辛辛苦苦
xin1 xin1 ku3 ku3
painstakingly; with great trouble
学习刻苦
學習刻苦
xue2 xi2 ke4 ku3
to study hard; assiduous
哑巴吃黄连，有苦说不出
啞巴吃黃連，有苦說不出
ya3 ba5 chi1 huang2 lian2 - you3 ku3 shuo1 bu5 chu1
to be forced to suffer in silence (idiom); unable to speak of one's bitter suffering; sometimes written 啞子吃黃連，有苦說不出|哑子吃黄连，有苦说不出
忆苦饭
憶苦飯
yi4 ku3 fan4
unsavory meal taken in remembrance of past hardships; fig. poor-tasting meal
忆苦思甜
憶苦思甜
yi4 ku3 si1 tian2
to view one's past as miserable and one's present as happy (idiom)
用心良苦
用心良苦
yong4 xin1 liang2 ku3
to ponder earnestly; to give a lot of thought to sth
忧苦以终
憂苦以終
you1 ku3 yi3 zhong1
worried to death (idiom)
有苦说不出
有苦說不出
you3 ku3 shuo1 bu5 chu1
having unspeakable bitter suffering; (often used after 啞巴吃黃連|哑巴吃黄连)
浴血苦战
浴血苦戰
yu4 xue4 ku3 zhan4
a blood soaked and hard-fought struggle (idiom)
冤苦
冤苦
yuan1 ku3
suffering from injustice
装穷叫苦
裝窮叫苦
zhuang1 qiong2 jiao4 ku3
to feign and complain bitterly of being poverty stricken (idiom)
自食苦果
自食苦果
zi4 shi2 ku3 guo3
see 自食惡果|自食恶果
自讨苦吃
自討苦吃
zi4 tao3 ku3 chi1
to ask for trouble (idiom); to make a rod for one's own back
自找苦吃
自找苦吃
zi4 zhao3 ku3 chi1
to bring trouble on oneself
嘴甜心苦
嘴甜心苦
zui3 tian2 xin1 ku3
sweet mouth, bitter heart (idiom); insincere flattery