苦 Kanji – suffering
The Japanese kanji 苦 can mean suffering, trial, worry, hardship, feel bitter, scowl.
Meaning and Readings
How is 苦 read?
苦 has the onyomi reading ク and the kunyomi readings くるしい, -ぐるしい, くるしむ, くるしめる, にがい, にがる.
In romaji, these readings can be written as ku, kurushii, gurushii, kurushimu, kurushimeru, nigai, nigaru.
Common Japanese Words Using 苦
These common Japanese words contain 苦. Select linked kanji to explore their meanings and readings.
- ご苦労様（ごくろうさま） — thank you (for your hard work), I appreciate your efforts
- 苦い（にがい） — bitter
- 苦しい（くるしい） — painful, difficult, tough, hard
- 苦しみ（くるしみ） — pain, anguish, distress, suffering, hardship
- 苦しむ（くるしむ） — to suffer, to groan, to be worried
- 苦しめる（くるしめる） — to torment, to pain, to inflict (physical) pain, to hurt
- 苦境（くきょう） — difficult situation, adverse circumstances, predicament, trouble, dilemma, distress
- 苦言（くげん） — candid advice, frank advice, honest opinion, exhortation, harsh but honest advice
- 苦手（にがて） — poor (at), weak (in), not very good (at)
- 苦渋（くじゅう） — bitterness, distress, pain, anguish, affliction