Chinese–EnglishWith examples

苦

kǔ · ku

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 4

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. bitter
  2. hardship
  3. pain
  4. to suffer
  5. to bring suffering to
  6. painstakingly
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In a conversation

0:18 cartoon

Very bitter tea

  1. Dengdeng

    这杯(zhèbēi)茶(chá)怎么(zěnme)这么(zhème)苦(kǔ)？

    Why is this tea so bitter?

  2. Liangliang

    这是(zhèshì)苦(kǔ)茶(chá)，对(duì)身体(shēntǐ)好(hǎo)。

    It is bitter tea. It is good for you.

  3. Dengdeng

    太(tài)苦(kǔ)了(le)，我(wǒ)喝(hē)不下去(bùxiàqù)。

    Too bitter. I cannot drink it.

  4. Liangliang

    那(nà)你(nǐ)加(jiā)一点(yīdiǎn)糖(táng)吧(ba)。

    Then add a little sugar.

  5. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)加(jiā)了(le)三勺(sānsháo)，还是(háishi)很(hěn)苦(kǔ)。

    I added three spoonfuls and it is still bitter.

  6. Liangliang

    等一下(děngyīxià)，你(nǐ)加(jiā)的(de)是(shì)盐(yán)！

    Wait. What you added is salt!

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

这(zhè)种(zhǒng)药(yào)太(tài)苦(kǔ)了(le)，我(wǒ)喝(hē)不(bu)下(xià)去(qù)。

This medicine is too bitter; I can't drink it.

02

他(tā)小(xiǎo)时(shí)候(hou)吃(chī)了(le)不(bù)少(shǎo)苦(kǔ)，所(suǒ)以(yǐ)现(xiàn)在(zài)特(tè)别(bié)珍(zhēn)惜(xī)生(shēng)活(huó)。

He suffered a lot of hardship as a child, so now he especially cherishes life.

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Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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