苦難

• Reading: くなん
• Romaji: kunan
• Kanji breakdown: 苦 (ku) — suffering, bitter; 難 (nan) — difficulty, disaster, hardship
• Pronunciation: /kɯ.naɴ/

Meaning

Suffering; distress; hardship; a trial or tribulation.

A somewhat literary noun describing serious hardship or adversity. Stronger than 苦労 (trouble/hardship), 苦難 implies more severe or prolonged suffering. Often used in biographical narratives, historical contexts, and motivational speeches. Common in the phrase 苦難を乗り越える (to overcome hardship).

Examples

1. 彼は多くの苦難を乗り越えて成功を手にした。 He overcame many hardships to achieve success.
2. 戦争による苦難の歴史を忘れてはならない。 We must never forget the history of suffering caused by war.
3. 苦難の時期を支えてくれた友人に感謝している。 I'm grateful to the friends who supported me through my time of hardship.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, history, speeches

Tone: serious

Origin & History

Compound of 苦 (suffering, bitter) + 難 (difficulty, disaster). Both characters convey hardship, making this a strongly emphatic term for adversity.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal