苦

• 拼音: kǔ
• 汉字拆解: 苦 = 艹 (grass radical) + 古 (phonetic component, meaning old) — originally a bitter-tasting plant

含义

Bitter; hard; painful; suffering. Describes a bitter taste or a difficult, painful experience.

苦 spans both the physical sensation of bitterness and the metaphorical sense of hardship. It is central to many Chinese idioms and expressions about endurance and perseverance, reflecting the cultural value placed on tolerating difficulty to achieve something worthwhile.

例句

1. 这种药很苦，但是对身体有好处。
2. 他小时候家里很穷，日子过得非常苦。
3. 学习外语很苦，但坚持下来就会有收获。

用法指南

语境: everyday, food, emotion, description

语气: neutral

正确说法

• 这段时间工作太苦了，我需要好好休息一下。(These days work has been really tough — I need a good rest.)
• 吃苦耐劳是他最大的优点。(His greatest strength is the ability to endure hardship and hard work.)

错误说法

• 排队等一下就很苦 (Don't use 苦 for minor inconveniences — it implies genuine hardship or bitterness; use 麻烦 for troublesome or 不舒服 for uncomfortable)

起源与历史

苦 is composed of 艹 (grass radical) and 古 (phonetic component meaning old). The grass radical connects it to plants with a bitter taste, and the character extended to mean suffering or hardship.

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal