苦 kǔ bitter
bitter; miserable
How to remember 苦: 艹 grass + 古 old = bitter. The kid chews a blade of grass from Grandpa's old garden, pulls a face and spits it out because it is so bitter.
Component breakdown
苦 = 艹 grass + 古 old
- 艹 grass
- 古 old
The kid chews a blade of grass from Grandpa's old garden, pulls a face and spits it out because it is so bitter.
How it is used
- Bitter to the taste, and hard/miserable in life. 药很苦 (yào hěn kǔ) the medicine is bitter; 苦日子 (kǔ rìzi) hard times.
- 辛苦 (xīnkǔ) = toilsome/hard work - 辛苦了 (xīnkǔ le) is a warm "thanks for your hard work."
- 刻苦 (kèkǔ) = diligent through hardship; 吃苦 (chīkǔ) = endure hardship. 酸甜苦辣 (suān-tián-kǔ-là) = life's flavors.
Words with 苦
- 辛苦xīnkǔhardHSK 4
- 痛苦tòngkǔpainHSK 5
- 艰苦jiānkǔdifficultHSK 5
- 酸甜苦辣suān-tián-kǔ-làliterally sour, sweet, bitter and spicyHSK 5
- 何苦hékǔwhy bother?HSK 7
- 刻苦kèkǔhardworkingHSK 7
- 受苦shòukǔto suffer hardshipHSK 7
- 吃苦chīkǔto bear hardshipsHSK 7
- 苦心kǔxīnpainstaking effortHSK 7
- 苦笑kǔxiàoto force a smileHSK 7
- 苦难kǔnànsufferingHSK 7
- 诉苦sùkǔto grumbleHSK 7
- 埋头苦干máitóu-kǔgànto bury oneself in work (idiom)HSK 8
- 愁眉苦脸chóuméi-kǔliǎnto look anxious (idiom)HSK 8
- 挖苦wākuto speak sarcasticallyHSK 8
- 苦恼kǔnǎovexedHSK 8
- 苦尽甘来kǔjìn-gānláibitterness finishes, sweetness beginsHSK 9
- 苦涩kǔsèbitter and astringentHSK 9
Example sentences
- 英国的啤酒比较苦。 Yīngguóde píjiǔ bǐjiào kǔ.English beer is rather bitter.
- 他的工作很辛苦。 Tā de gōngzuò hěn xīnkǔ.His job is very arduous.