JLPT N3 · 8 strokes
Kanji 苦: "suffering, trial, worry"
The kanji 苦 means "suffering, trial, worry, hardship, feel bitter, scowl". It is written with 8 strokes and belongs to JLPT level N3, read ク in on'yomi and くる.しい, -ぐる.しい, くる.しむ, くる.しめる, にが.い in kun'yomi.
Stroke order
Strokes are written in the order of the numbers. The order is not decorative: it is what gives the character its balance, and it is also how handwriting search works in Japanese dictionaries.
Readings
On'yomi (Sino-Japanese reading)
ク
Kun'yomi (native Japanese reading)
くる.しい-ぐる.しいくる.しむくる.しめるにが.い
In a kun'yomi reading, the dot separates the kanji from its okurigana: かた.る is read かたる and written 語る. A hyphen marks a bound position, like -び in 日.
At a glance
| Meaning | suffering, trial, worry, hardship, feel bitter, scowl |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 8 |
| JLPT level | N3 |
| Taught in Japan | grade 3 |
| Frequency rank | 623 of 2,501 |
Common words with 苦
The most frequent words using this kanji, most common first, with furigana readings. Click one to open it in the reader.
- 苦しいpainful; difficult; tough; hard · distressing; (psychologically) difficult; stressful; awkward (e.g. position)
- 苦労trouble; hardship; difficulty; labour · anxiety; worry; concern; cares
- 苦しむto suffer; to groan; to be worried
- 苦手poor (at); weak (in); not very good (at) · not one's cup of tea; not one's favorite
- 苦痛pain; agony; suffering; distress
- 苦しみpain; anguish; distress; suffering
- 苦笑bitter smile; wry smile; strained laugh; sarcastic laugh
- 滅茶苦茶absurd; unreasonable; nonsensical; preposterous · extreme; senseless; reckless; wanton
- 苦いbitter
- 苦笑いbitter smile; wry smile; forced smile; strained laugh
- 苦しめるto torment; to pain; to inflict (physical) pain; to hurt · to harass; to cause (emotional) pain; to afflict; to distress
- ご苦労trouble (I have put you through); (your) hard work · thank you (for your hard work); I appreciate your efforts
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