苦
Character
bitter (a taste like strong tea or medicine)
Meaning
kǔ
ku3- bitter (a taste like strong tea or medicine)
- hard and painful; not easy (like a hard life)
Examples
这个茶很苦。
zhè ge chá hěn kǔ
This tea is very bitter.
AI-generated sentence
他的生活很苦。
tā de shēng huó hěn kǔ
His life is very hard.
AI-generated sentence
Stroke order
All 8 strokes
Speed
Practice writing 苦
Draw “苦” here — the faint guide shows its shape.
Words with 苦
See all 175 →苦力kǔ lìhard, heavy work for very little moneyWordHSK 7–9苦心kǔ xīna lot of hard work and care put into somethingWordHSK 7–9苦恼kǔ nǎoworried and unhappy because of a difficult problemWordHSK 7–9苦笑kǔ xiàoa sad smile, not a happy oneWordHSK 7–9苦练kǔ liànto practice something very hard, again and againWordHSK 7–9苦难kǔ nànvery great pain and hard times in lifeWordHSK 7–9苦主kǔ zhǔ(old) the family of the victim in a murder caseWord苦事kǔ shìhard jobWord苦于kǔ yúto suffer from (a disadvantage)Word苦况kǔ kuàngwretched stateWord苦刑kǔ xíngtortureWord苦功kǔ gōnghard workWord