Meaning and Usage
The kanji 苦 (く) primarily conveys the sense of pain, suffering, or difficulty. It is often used to describe emotional or physical hardship, troubles, or worries.
Common Contexts
You will frequently see 苦 in words related to hardship, such as 苦労 (くろう, hardship) or 苦しい (くるしい, painful/difficult). It can describe both mental and physical struggles.
Collocations and Patterns
- 苦労する: to have hardships or struggle
- 苦しい時: difficult or painful times
- 苦を乗り越える: to overcome troubles
These expressions are common in everyday conversation and writing when discussing challenges or adversity.
Register and Nuance
苦 is neutral in formality but often appears in somewhat serious or reflective contexts. It is not casual slang but common in spoken and written Japanese.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 苦 with 辛 (からい), which means "spicy" or "painful" in a physical sense. 苦 focuses more on suffering or hardship, while 辛 often relates to taste or physical sensations.
Understanding 苦 helps you express and recognize concepts of difficulty and suffering in various situations.