bitter (adj.)
HSK 4
Traditional
苦 (unaltered)
Radicals
Stroke order
Phonetically similar words
哭 kū - cry (v.) | HSK 3
Examples
这个药太苦了，我不想吃。 zhège yào tài kǔ le, wǒ bù xiǎng chī. - This medicine is too bitter; I don’t want to take it.
他过着非常苦的生活。 tā guòzhe fēicháng kǔ de shēnghuó. - He is living a very difficult life.
经历了许多苦难后，他终于成功了。 jīnglì le xǔduō kǔnàn hòu, tā zhōngyú chénggōng le. - After going through many hardships, he finally succeeded.
咖啡太苦了，你想加点糖吗？ kāfēi tài kǔ le, nǐ xiǎng jiā diǎn táng ma? - The coffee is too bitter; do you want to add some sugar?
他对自己的苦难一笑置之，从不抱怨。 tā duì zìjǐ de kǔnàn yīxiào zhìzhī, cóng bù bàoyuàn. - He laughs off his hardships and never complains.
Phrases
辛苦 xīn kǔ - hard; tough [work; life] (adj.) | HSK 4
艰苦 jiān kǔ - arduous; difficult; tough (adj.) | HSK 5
刻苦 kè kǔ - assiduous; hardworking; painstaking (adj.) | HSK 5
痛苦 tòng kǔ - pain; agony; sore (adj.) | HSK 5
吃苦 chī kǔ - bear hardships (v.) | HSK 6
苦尽甘来 kǔ jìn gān lái - all sufferings have their reward; after the bitter comes the sweet () | HSK 6
苦涩 kǔ sè - bitter and astringent (adj.) | HSK 6