Chinese word

艰苦

Pronunciation

Pinyinjiān kǔ

Meaning

  • adjectivehard

Example

他经历了艰苦的岁月。tā jīng lì le jiān kǔ de suì yuè

He went through hard times.

Illustration for 艰苦 (hard)

More examples

创业的过程非常艰苦，但很值得。chuàng yè de guò chéng fēi cháng jiān kǔ dàn hěn zhí de

The process of starting a business was very hard, but it was worth it.

Core concept

A task, experience, or period marked by serious obstacles and sustained hardship.

Common phrases

  • 经历艰苦jīng lì jiān kǔ

    experience hardship

  • 艰苦的生活jiān kǔ de shēng huó

    hard life

  • 艰苦的训练jiān kǔ de xùn liàn

    arduous training

  • 艰苦的经历jiān kǔ de jīng lì

    difficult experience

Similar words

困难kùn nán: Hard to deal with because a problem or situation makes action or decisions difficult.
辛苦xīn kǔ: Requiring great physical or mental effort and causing tiredness or discomfort.
艰辛jiān xīn: Involving much hardship over a long time and requiring continued endurance.

Definition in Chinese

指在环境、经历或任务上遇到严重阻碍，需要克服多重困难并承受痛苦的状态。zhǐ zài huán jìng jīng lì huò rèn wù shàng yù dào yán zhòng zǔ ài xū yào kè fú duō chóng kùn nán bìng chéng shòu tòng kǔ de zhuàng tài

Word origin

艰 (jiān, "difficult") + 苦 (kǔ, "bitter") combines external difficulty with the suffering it causes.

Usage tips

  • The word is most natural for circumstances, tasks, and periods of life, whereas a person is usually described through the hardship they face rather than labeled with this adjective.

Other meanings

  • difficultadjective

Opposites

Related words

  • 艰苦奋斗jiān kǔ fèn dòustruggle through hardshipidiom
  • 艰苦卓绝jiān kǔ zhuó juéextremely difficultidiom
  • 艰苦朴素jiān kú pǔ sùlive simply and work hardidiom

Word lists with this word