苦
苦·suffer, bitter
- On-yomi
- ク
- Kun-yomi
- くるしいにがい
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 苦しい | くるしい | painful, hard to bear |
| 苦い | にがい | bitter (in taste) |
| 苦手 | にがて | not good at, not fond of |
| 苦労 | くろう | hardship, trouble |
Example sentences
この薬は苦くて飲めません。
このくすりはにがくてのめません。
This medicine is so bitter I can't take it.
私は人前で話すのが苦手です。
わたしはひとまえではなすのがにがてです。
I'm not good at speaking in front of people.
息が苦しいので、窓を開けてください。
いきがくるしいので、まどをあけてください。
It's hard to breathe — please open the window.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- 苦い (bitter taste) and 苦しい (painful, distressing) share the kanji but mean quite different things
- 苦手 means "bad at / not keen on" — it has nothing to do with hands
Memory aid
Picture it
Grass 艹 over 古 "old" — old dried-out grass tastes bitter.
Vocabulary using this kanji
- 苦しいくるしいpainful, hard
- 苦手にがてbad at, weak point; not keen on
- 苦労するくろうするto have a hard time
- 苦労くろうhardship, trouble
- 苦痛くつうpain, agony, suffering, distress
- 苦しむくるしむto suffer, to groan, to be worried
- 苦いにがいbitter
- 心苦しいこころぐるしいpainful (to one's conscience); feeling sorry
- 苦情くじょうcomplaint, grievance, objection
- 苦心くしんpainstaking effort, taking great pains over something
- ご苦労様ごくろうさまthank you for your work
- 滅茶苦茶めちゃくちゃa mess; in ruins; absurd; unreasonable
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 2 of 5
What does the kanji 苦 mean?