苦 – Kanji World

音読おんよみ: ク

訓読くんよみ: くるしい、にがい

画数かくすう: 8 strokes

部首ぶしゅ: 艹（くさかんむり）

Meaning

Suffering, Bitter, Painful, Hardship — Expresses physical or emotional discomfort, bitterness in taste, or difficulty in life situations.

Vocabulary Tap to expand

苦くるしい — painful
苦にがい — bitter
苦労くろう — hardship, trouble
苦痛くつう — pain, suffering
苦手にがて — weak point, dislike
苦情くじょう — complaint

Insight Tap to expand

苦 combines 艹 (grass) with 古 (old). Originally referring to bitter-tasting herbs, it evolved to represent emotional pain or difficulty as well. It conveys bitterness both in taste and life experience.

Sentences Tap to expand

苦くるしい時ときこそ、成長せいちょうの機会きかいです。
Times of hardship are opportunities for growth.

この薬くすりは少すこし苦にがいです。
This medicine is a little bitter.

Pronunciation Tap to expand

🎧 Pronunciation guide for くるしい and にがい is coming soon!

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