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受苦 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
受苦shòukǔto suffer hardshipHSK 7, unknown, 16 strokes, rank #7625, Very Hard
shòukǔ(shou4ku3)shou ku T4
  1. 1to suffer hardship
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March 24, 2026

受苦shòukǔ(shou4ku3)

受苦 (shòu kǔ) means 'to suffer hardship' or 'to endure pain.' It is commonly used in contexts where individuals face difficulties, whether physical, emotional, or situational. The term conveys a sense of enduring rather than merely experiencing pain, emphasizing the ongoing nature of the hardship.

Strokes16Frequency#7625DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, enduring hardship is often seen as a virtue, reflecting resilience and perseverance, especially in literature and folklore. This concept resonates with the saying '吃苦耐劳' (chī kǔ nài láo), meaning 'to endure hardship and work hard.'

Memory tip

Imagine a person (受) receiving (to 'take on') a heavy burden (苦) that symbolizes hardship. The character 受 resembles a person holding something heavy above their head, representing the act of enduring suffering.

Meanings of 受苦

shòukǔ(shou4ku3)
1to suffer hardship
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About 受苦

受苦Simplified
16Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedBCT✓CEFRC2

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Podcast: 受苦

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AI study notes for 受苦

Quick Contrast

受难 (shòunàn) - use 受苦 for general suffering and 受难 for suffering specifically related to trials or tribulations.

Usage Notes

Avoid using 受苦 in overly formal contexts; it fits better in conversational or narrative settings. Be careful with tone pronunciation, as mispronouncing 受 (shòu) can change the meaning. Common collocations include 受苦的经历 (shòu kǔ de jīng lì) – 'experiences of hardship.'

HSK Study Tips

While 受苦 is not an HSK word, it can be related to other HSK vocabulary around emotions and experiences, such as 痛苦 (tòng kǔ) meaning 'pain' or 'suffering.' Focus on sentence structures that express hardship to enhance comprehension.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 受苦 with similar phrases like 受伤 (shòu shāng), which means 'to be injured.' For example, saying '我受伤了' (wǒ shòu shāng le) when they mean to express hardship is incorrect; instead, use '我受苦了' (wǒ shòu kǔ le).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 受苦

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Component characters

受shòuto receive
HSK 38 strokes又
View full entry
苦kǔbitter
HSK 48 strokes艹
View full entry

How to say to suffer hardship in Chinese

“to suffer hardship” in Chinese is受苦shòukǔ

受苦 (shòu kǔ) means 'to suffer hardship' or 'to endure pain.' It is commonly used in contexts where individuals face difficulties, whether physical, emotional, or situational. The term conveys a sense of enduring rather than merely experiencing pain, emphasizing the ongoing nature of the hardship.

When to use 受苦

Avoid using 受苦 in overly formal contexts; it fits better in conversational or narrative settings. Be careful with tone pronunciation, as mispronouncing 受 (shòu) can change the meaning. Common collocations include 受苦的经历 (shòu kǔ de jīng lì) – 'experiences of hardship.'

受苦 or something close to it

受难 (shòunàn) - use 受苦 for general suffering and 受难 for suffering specifically related to trials or tribulations.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 受苦 with similar phrases like 受伤 (shòu shāng), which means 'to be injured.' For example, saying '我受伤了' (wǒ shòu shāng le) when they mean to express hardship is incorrect; instead, use '我受苦了' (wǒ shòu kǔ le).

Write 受苦

受
苦

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Frequently asked questions about 受苦

No, 受苦 can refer to emotional, social, and situational hardships as well.

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