痛苦 tòngkǔ, pain/suffering/painful/CL:個|个[gè] 辛苦 xīnkǔ, exhausting/hard/tough/arduous/to work hard/to go to a lot of trouble/hardship(s) 苦 kǔ, bitter/hardship/pain/to suffer/to bring suffering to/painstakingly 艰苦 jiānkǔ, [艱苦], difficult/hard/arduous 受苦 shòukǔ, to suffer hardship 苦难 kǔnàn, [苦難], suffering 苦恼 kǔnǎo, [苦惱], vexed/distressed 苦苦 kǔkǔ, strenuously/persistently/hard/painful 挖苦 wākǔ, to speak sarcastically/to make cutting remarks 苦头 kǔtou, [苦頭], sufferings 刻苦 kèkǔ, hardworking/assiduous 苦衷 kǔzhōng, secret trouble/sorrow/difficulties 苦力 kǔlì, bitter work/hard toil/(loanword) coolie, unskilled Chinese laborer in colonial t... 辛辛苦苦 xīnxīnkǔkǔ, painstakingly/with great trouble 苦痛 kǔtòng, pain/suffering 苦涩 kǔsè, [苦澀], bitter and astringent/pained/agonized 困苦 kùnkǔ, deprivation/distressed/miserable 苦果 kǔguǒ, lit. bitter fruit/fig. painful consequence 自讨苦吃 zìtǎokǔchī, [自討苦吃], to ask for trouble (idiom)/to make a rod for one's own back 穷苦 qióngkǔ, [窮苦], impoverished/destitute 苦闷 kǔmèn, [苦悶], depressed/dejected/feeling low 苦工 kǔgōng, hard labor (in penal code)/coolie 苦海 kǔhǎi, lit. sea of bitterness/abyss of worldly suffering (Buddhist term)/depths of mise... 诉苦 sùkǔ, [訴苦], to grumble/to complain/grievance 苦差 kǔchāi, hard task/difficult mission/arduous and unrewarding undertaking/drudgery/grind/c... 千辛万苦 qiānxīnwànkǔ, [千辛萬苦], to suffer untold hardships (idiom); trials and tribulations/with difficulty/afte... 苦练 kǔliàn, [苦練], to train hard/to practice diligently/hard work/blood, sweat, and tears 苦楚 kǔchǔ, suffering/misery/pain (esp. psychological) 何苦 hékǔ, why bother?/is it worth the trouble? 苦瓜 kǔguā, bitter melon (bitter gourd, balsam pear, balsam apple, leprosy gourd, bitter cuc... 埋头苦干 máitóukǔgàn, [埋頭苦幹], to bury oneself in work (idiom); to be engrossed in work/to make an all-out effo... 同甘共苦 tónggāngòngkǔ, shared delights and common hardships (idiom); to share life's joys and sorrows/f... 苦战 kǔzhàn, [苦戰], bitter struggle/hard battle/arduous effort 吃苦 chīkǔ, to bear hardships 吃苦头 chīkǔtou, [吃苦頭], to suffer/to suffer for one's actions/to pay dearly/to burn one's fingers 贫苦 pínkǔ, [貧苦], poverty-stricken/poor 含辛茹苦 hánxīnrúkǔ, to suffer every possible torment (idiom); bitter hardship/to bear one's cross 苦水 kǔshuǐ, bitter water (e.g. mineral water containing sulfates)/suffering/digestive fluids... 苦心经营 kǔxīnjīngyíng, [苦心經營], to build up an enterprise through painstaking efforts 苦心 kǔxīn, painstaking effort/to take a lot of trouble/laborious at pains 煞费苦心 shàfèikǔxīn, [煞費苦心], to take a lot of trouble (idiom); painstaking/at the cost of a lot of effort 苦命 kǔmìng, hard lot/bitter fate/unfortunate 疾苦 jíkǔ, pain and difficulties/suffering (of the people) 孤苦伶仃 gūkǔlíngdīng, solitary and impoverished (idiom) 劳苦 láokǔ, [勞苦], to toil/hard work 命苦 mìngkǔ, to be born under an ill star 苦不堪言 kǔbùkānyán, to suffer unspeakable misery/indescribably painful/hellish 苦干 kǔgàn, [苦幹], to work hard 苦肉计 kǔròujì, [苦肉計], the trick of injuring oneself to gain the enemy's confidence/CL:條|条[tiáo] 酸甜苦辣 suāntiánkǔlà, sour, sweet, bitter and spicy hot/fig. the joys and sorrows of life 不辞劳苦 bùcíláokǔ, [不辭勞苦], to spare no effort 苦笑 kǔxiào, to force a smile/a bitter laugh 不辞辛苦 bùcíxīnkǔ, [不辭辛苦], to make nothing of hardships 苦尽甘来 kǔjìngānlái, [苦盡甘來], bitterness finishes, sweetness begins (idiom); the hard times are over, the good... 苦役 kǔyì, forced labor/corvée/penal servitude 艰苦奋斗 jiānkǔfèndòu, [艱苦奮鬥], to struggle arduously 苦功 kǔgōng, hard work/laborious effort/painstaking work 苦活 kǔhuó, bitter work/sweated labor 苦行 kǔxíng, ascetic practice 吃苦耐劳 chīkǔnàiláo, [吃苦耐勞], hardworking and enduring hardships (idiom) 苦口婆心 kǔkǒupóxīn, earnest and well-meaning advice (idiom); to persuade patiently 甘苦 gānkǔ, good times and hardships/joys and tribulations/for better or for worse 叫苦 jiàokǔ, to whine about hardships/to complain of one's bitter lot/to complain/to grumble 苦思 kǔsī, to think hard/bitter thoughts/to pour out one's sufferings 苦思冥想 kǔsīmíngxiǎng, to consider from all angles (idiom); to think hard/to rack one's brains 苦大仇深 kǔdàchóushēn, great bitterness, deep hatred (idiom); deeply ingrained long-standing resentment 良苦用心 liángkǔyòngxīn, to ponder earnestly/to give a lot of thought to sth 苦刑 kǔxíng, torture/corporal punishment (traditionally involving mutilation or amputation) 苦味 kǔwèi, bitter taste/bitterness 愁苦 chóukǔ, anxiety/distress 凄苦 qīkǔ, [悽苦], bleak/miserable 勤学苦练 qínxuékǔliàn, [勤學苦練], to study diligently/to train assiduously 悲苦 bēikǔ, forlorn/miserable 苦境 kǔjìng, grievance/dire straits 忆苦思甜 yìkǔsītián, [憶苦思甜], to view one's past as miserable and one's present as happy (idiom) 苦劳 kǔláo, [苦勞], toil/hard work 苦寒 kǔhán, bitter cold 苦参 kǔshēn, [苦參], liquorice (Sophora flavescens), with roots used in TCM 苦主 kǔzhǔ, victim's family (esp. in murder case) 苦心孤诣 kǔxīngūyì, [苦心孤詣], to make painstaking efforts (idiom); after much trouble/to work hard at sth 清苦 qīngkǔ, destitute but honest/poor and simple/spartan/austere 叫苦不迭 jiàokǔbudié, to complain without stopping (idiom); to bitch endlessly/incessant grievances 万分痛苦 wànfēntòngkǔ, [萬分痛苦], excruciating 不胜其苦 bùshèngqíkǔ, [不勝其苦], unable to bear the pain (idiom) 二遍苦 èrbiànkǔ, second persecution 倒悬之苦 dàoxuánzhīkǔ, [倒懸之苦], lit. the pain of being hanged upside down (idiom); fig. extremely critical situa... 倒苦水 dàokǔshuǐ, to pour out one's grievances 八苦 bākǔ, the eight distresses - birth, age, sickness, death, parting with what we love, m... 冤苦 yuānkǔ, suffering from injustice 冥思苦想 míngsīkǔxiǎng, to consider from all angles (idiom); to think hard/to rack one's brains 冥思苦索 míngsīkǔsuǒ, to mull over (idiom)/to think long and hard 凄风苦雨 qīfēngkǔyǔ, [淒風苦雨], lit. bleak wind and icy rain (idiom)/fig. hardships/miserable circumstances 刻苦努力 kèkǔnǔlì, assiduous/taking great pains 刻苦学习 kèkǔxuéxí, [刻苦學習], to study hard/assiduous 刻苦耐劳 kèkǔnàiláo, [刻苦耐勞], to bear hardships and work hard (idiom); assiduous and long-suffering/hard-worki... 刻苦钻研 kèkǔzuānyán, [刻苦鑽研], to study diligently 劳心苦思 láoxīnkǔsī, [勞心苦思], to rack one's brains/to think hard 勤奋刻苦 qínfènkèkǔ, [勤奮刻苦], diligent/assiduous 勤苦 qínkǔ, hardworking/assiduous 卖苦力 màikǔlì, [賣苦力], to make a hard living as unskilled laborer 变苦 biànkǔ, [變苦], to sour/to turn sour/to curdle 叫苦连天 jiàokǔliántiān, [叫苦連天], to whine on for days (idiom)/to endlessly grumble complaints/incessant whining 同甘苦 tónggānkǔ, to share joys and sorrows/sharing good times and hard times/same as 同甘共苦 吐苦水 tǔkǔshuǐ, to have bitter digestive fluids rising to the mouth/fig. to complain bitterly/to... 嘴甜心苦 zuǐtiánxīnkǔ, sweet mouth, bitter heart (idiom); insincere flattery 坚苦卓绝 jiānkǔzhuójué, [堅苦卓絕], persisting despite trials and tribulations (idiom); conspicuous determination 备尝辛苦 bèichángxīnkǔ, [備嘗辛苦], to have suffered all kinds of hardships (idiom) 孤苦零丁 gūkǔlíngdīng, variant of 孤苦伶仃[gū kǔ líng dīng] 学习刻苦 xuéxíkèkǔ, [學習刻苦], to study hard/assiduous 小洞不堵，大洞受苦 xiǎodòngbùdǔ,dàdòngshòukǔ, A small hole not plugged will make you suffer a big hole (idiom); A stitch in ti... 小洞不堵，大洞吃苦 xiǎodòngbùdǔ,dàdòngchīkǔ, a small hole not plugged will give you grief when it gets bigger (idiom)/a stitc... 小洞不补大洞吃苦 xiǎodòngbùbǔdàdòngchīkǔ, [小洞不補大洞吃苦], A small hole not plugged will make you suffer a big hole (idiom); a stitch in ti... 忆苦饭 yìkǔfàn, [憶苦飯], unsavory meal taken in remembrance of past hardships/fig. poor-tasting meal 忧苦以终 yōukǔyǐzhōng, [憂苦以終], worried to death (idiom) 愁眉苦脸 chóuméikǔliǎn, [愁眉苦臉], to look anxious (idiom)/to look miserable 有苦说不出 yǒukǔshuōbuchū, [有苦說不出], having unspeakable bitter suffering/(often used after 啞巴吃黃連|哑巴吃黄连[yǎ ba chī huán... 氯化苦 lǜhuàkǔ, chloropicrin 浴血苦战 yùxuèkǔzhàn, [浴血苦戰], a blood soaked and hard-fought struggle (idiom) 爱别离苦 àibiélíkǔ, [愛別離苦], (Buddhism) the pain of parting with what (or whom) one loves, one of the eight d... 用心良苦 yòngxīnliángkǔ, to ponder earnestly/to give a lot of thought to sth 病苦 bìngkǔ, pains (of illness)/sufferings (esp. in Buddhism) 白胸苦恶鸟 báixiōngkǔèniǎo, [白胸苦惡鳥], (bird species of China) white-breasted waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus) 皇天不负苦心人 Huángtiānbùfùkǔxīnrén, [皇天不負苦心人], Heaven will not disappoint the person who tries (idiom). If you try hard, you're... 皮肉之苦 píròuzhīkǔ, physical pain/lit. skin and flesh suffer 矮脚苦蒿 ǎijiǎokǔhāo, [矮腳苦蒿], see 熊膽草|熊胆草[xióng dǎn cǎo] 离苦得乐 líkǔdélè, [離苦得樂], to abandon suffering and obtain happiness (Buddhism) 秘鲁苦蘵 Bìlǔkǔzhí, [秘魯苦蘵], Peruvian ground-cherry/cape gooseberry/Physalis peruviana 穷思苦想 qióngsīkǔxiǎng, [窮思苦想], to think hard (idiom)/to give sth much thought 红脚苦恶鸟 hóngjiǎokǔèniǎo, [紅腳苦惡鳥], (bird species of China) brown crake (Amaurornis akool) 脱离苦海 tuōlíkǔhǎi, [脫離苦海], to escape from the abyss of suffering/to shed off a wretched plight 自找苦吃 zìzhǎokǔchī, to bring trouble on oneself 自食苦果 zìshíkǔguǒ, see 自食惡果|自食恶果[zì shí è guǒ] 良工心苦 liánggōngxīnkǔ, expert craft from hard practice (idiom); hard-won skill/A masterpiece demands su... 良药苦口 liángyàokǔkǒu, [良藥苦口], good medicine tastes bitter (idiom); fig. frank criticism is hard to swallow 艰苦朴素 jiānkǔpǔsù, [艱苦樸素], leading a plain, hardworking life (idiom) 苦不唧 kǔbujī, slightly bitter 苦不唧儿 kǔbujīr, [苦不唧兒], erhua variant of 苦不唧[kǔ bu jī] 苦中作乐 kǔzhōngzuòlè, [苦中作樂], to find joy in sorrows (idiom); to enjoy sth in spite of one's suffering 苦事 kǔshì, hard job/arduous task 苦况 kǔkuàng, [苦況], wretched state/miserable plight 苦口 kǔkǒu, lit. bitter taste (cf good medicine tastes bitter 良藥苦口|良药苦口)/fig. earnestly (of ... 苦哈哈 kǔhāhā, to have difficulty getting by/to struggle (financially etc) 苦因 kǔyīn, affliction 苦处 kǔchu, [苦處], suffering/distress 苦差事 kǔchāishi, see 苦差[kǔ chāi] 苦待 kǔdài, treat harshly 苦情 kǔqíng, wretched situation/plight/wretched/miserable 苦日子 kǔrìzi, hard times 苦杏仁苷 kǔxìngréngān, amygdalin 苦根 kǔgēn, underlying cause of poverty 苦楝 kǔliàn, chinaberry (Melia azedarach) 苦活儿 kǔhuór, [苦活兒], erhua variant of 苦活[kǔ huó] 苦海无边，回头是岸 kǔhǎiwúbiān,huítóushìàn, [苦海無邊，回頭是岸], The sea of bitterness has no bounds, turn your head to see the shore (idiom). On... 苦海茫茫 kǔhǎimángmáng, sea of bitterness is vast (idiom) 苦熬 kǔáo, to endure (years of suffering) 苦瓜脸 kǔguāliǎn, [苦瓜臉], sour expression on one's face 苦甘 kǔgān, bitter sweet 苦窑 kǔyáo, [苦窯], (slang) prison 苦竹 kǔzhú, bitter bamboo (Pleioblastus amarus) 苦胆 kǔdǎn, [苦膽], gall bladder 苦艾 kǔài, wormwood/Artemisia absinthium 苦艾酒 kǔàijiǔ, absinthe (distilled anise-based liquor) 苦苓 kǔlíng, chinaberry (Melia azedarach) 苦苣 kǔjù, endive 苦苦哀求 kǔkǔāiqiú, to entreat piteously/to implore 苦荬菜 kǔmǎicài, [苦蕒菜], Ixeris denticulata 苦菊 kǔjú, endive 苦菜花 KǔCàihuā, Bitter Cauliflower, 1954 socialist realist novel by Feng Deying 馮德英|冯德英[Féng Dé ... 苦蘵 kǔzhí, cutleaf ground-cherry/Physalis angulata 苦行赎罪 kǔxíngshúzuì, [苦行贖罪], penance (to atone for a sin) 苦谏 kǔjiàn, [苦諫], to admonish strenuously 苦趣 kǔqù, wretched feelings (opposite: 樂趣|乐趣, delight) 苦迭打 kǔdiédǎ, coup d'état (loanword) 苦难深重 kǔnànshēnzhòng, [苦難深重], deep grief/extensive sorrow 苦集灭道 kǔjímièdào, [苦集滅道], the Four Noble Truths (Budd.), namely: all life is suffering 苦, the cause of suf... 茹苦含辛 rúkǔhánxīn, bitter hardship/to bear one's cross 装穷叫苦 zhuāngqióngjiàokǔ, [裝窮叫苦], to feign and complain bitterly of being poverty stricken (idiom) 访贫问苦 fǎngpínwènkǔ, [訪貧問苦], to visit the poor and ask about their suffering (idiom) 蹲苦窑 dūnkǔyáo, [蹲苦窯], (slang) to be behind bars