苦悩

• Reading: くのう
• Romaji: kunou
• Kanji breakdown: 苦 (ku/kuru) — suffering, bitter; 悩 (nō/naya) — anguish, worry
• Pronunciation: /kɯnoː/

Meaning

Anguish; suffering; agony; distress. Deep mental or spiritual torment arising from difficult circumstances or inner conflict.

A noun and suru-verb conveying profound, often existential suffering. Stronger than 悩み (worries) or 苦労 (hardship), 苦悩 implies a deep psychological or moral struggle. Frequently appears in literature, psychology, and discussions of human experience.

Examples

1. 長い闘病生活の末、彼は深い苦悩を乗り越えた。 After a long battle with illness, he overcame his deep anguish.
2. その小説は、戦時中に生きた人々の苦悩を克明に描いている。 The novel vividly depicts the suffering of people who lived through wartime.
3. 正しい選択ができず、彼女は幾晩も苦悩し続けた。 Unable to make the right choice, she agonized night after night.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, psychology, religion, history

Tone: serious

Origin & History

Compound of 苦 (ku, suffering/bitterness) and 悩 (nō, anguish/worry). Both characters independently mean pain or trouble, together forming a word for profound suffering.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal