Japanese Conversation · Level 55
75 words
Japanese word
苦労
Pronunciation
Romajikurō
Meaning
- nountrouble
Example
母は若いころ苦労しました。haha wa waka i ko ro ku rō shi ma shi ta
My mother had a hard time when she was young.
More examples
初めての料理では、材料をそろえるのに苦労しました。haji me te no ryō ri de wa zai ryō o so ro e ru no ni ku rō shi ma shi ta
I had a hard time gathering the ingredients when I cooked for the first time.
Core concept
Centers on facing difficulty and the effort required to get through it.
Common phrases
苦労をかけるku rō o ka ke ru
cause trouble
苦労するku rō su ru
have a hard time
苦労を重ねるku rō o kasa ne ru
go through many hardships
苦労が絶えないku rō ga ta e na i
have endless troubles
Similar words
困難konnan: A situation or task that is hard to deal with or complete.
苦難kunan: Serious hardship that causes ongoing difficulty in life.
難儀nangi: Difficulty or trouble in dealing with a situation.
骨折りhoneori: Effort and care spent to achieve something difficult.
Definition in Japanese
困難に立ち向かい、努力や心身の負担を重ねること。kon nan ni ta chi mu ka i do ryoku ya shin shin no fu tan o kasa ne ru ko to
Word origin
苦労 (kurō, "hardship") combines 苦 (ku, "bitter") and 労 (rō, "labor"), linking painful difficulty with the effort it requires.
Usage tips
- The common pattern 苦労する (kurō suru) means to struggle or have a hard time, so the noun often describes a difficult experience rather than a single problem.