難

• Reading: なん
• Romaji: nan
• Kanji breakdown: 難 (nan/muzuka/kata) — difficult, hardship, flaw
• Pronunciation: /naɴ/

Meaning

Difficulty; hardship; defect; flaw.

A noun and suffix indicating difficulty, trouble, or a flaw. As a standalone noun: 難がある (nan ga aru, to have a flaw/drawback). As a suffix: 避難 (hinan, evacuation), 困難 (konnan, hardship), 難民 (nanmin, refugee), 非難 (hinan, criticism). The on'yomi なん is used in most compounds, while the kun'yomi かたい/むずかしい appears in adjective forms.

Examples

1. この計画には一つだけ難がある。 There is just one flaw in this plan.
2. 難を逃れて無事に帰ってきた。 He escaped danger and came back safely.
3. 性格はいいが少し難のある人だ。 He has a good personality, but he's a bit flawed.

Usage Guide

Context: evaluation, problems, formal discussion

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 難 combines 隹 (bird) and a phonetic component, originally depicting a bird that is difficult to catch. This extended to the general concept of difficulty and hardship.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal