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难 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
难nándifficult (to...)HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical 又, rank #345, Medium
难nánproblemHSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical 又, rank #345, Medium
难nándifficultyHSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical 又, rank #345, Medium
难nándifficultHSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical 又, rank #345, Medium
难nánnot goodHSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical 又, rank #345, Medium
难nándisasterHSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical 又, rank #345, Medium
难nándistressHSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical 又, rank #345, Medium
难nánto scoldHSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical 又, rank #345, Medium
难nánhard, difficult, arduous; unableHSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical 又, rank #345, Medium
难nàndifficult (to...)HSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical 又, rank #345, Medium
难nànproblemHSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical 又, rank #345, Medium
难nàndifficultyHSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical 又, rank #345, Medium
难nàndifficultHSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical 又, rank #345, Medium
难nànnot goodHSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical 又, rank #345, Medium
难nàndisasterHSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical 又, rank #345, Medium
难nàndistressHSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical 又, rank #345, Medium
难nànto scoldHSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical 又, rank #345, Medium
难nànhard, difficult, arduous; unableHSK 3, a, 10 strokes, radical 又, rank #345, Medium
nán(nan2)
primary
 T2
  1. 1difficult (to...)
  2. 2problem
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

难(難)nán(nan2)

The character 难 (nán) means 'difficult' or 'hard.' It is commonly used to describe tasks or situations that pose challenges or problems. It can also convey a sense of distress or disaster, often in personal or situational contexts, making it a versatile term in both everyday conversation and more serious discussions.

Strokes10Radical又Frequency#345DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, expressing difficulty or hardship can sometimes be a way to seek empathy or support, reflecting the communal values of sharing burdens. The concept of 'difficult' is often tied to perseverance and resilience in facing life's challenges.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person trying to climb a steep mountain (symbolizing difficulty). The character 难 has the radical 阝 (a mountain or hill) on the left, which visually connects to the idea of climbing and facing challenges. Picture the struggle and say 'nán' as you picture the difficulty of the ascent.

Meanings of 难

nán(nan2)
primary
1difficult (to...)
2problem
Exercise 1 of 3

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 难

难Simplified
難Traditional
10Strokes
又Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#345Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L3HSK 3.0L3ElementaryTOCFLL1HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 难

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Podcast: 难

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 难

Quick Contrast

难 (nán) vs 难受 (nánshòu) — use 难 (nán) for describing difficulty in tasks, while 难受 (nánshòu) specifically refers to emotional distress.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 难 (difficult) with 简单 (jiǎndān), which means 'easy.' Use 难 in both formal and informal contexts, but be careful when collocating it with verbs. For example, '难做' (nán zuò) means 'hard to do,' while '难以' (nán yǐ) means 'difficult to.'

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 3 word, 难 connects well with other adjectives describing states or conditions, like 容易 (róngyì, easy) and 简单 (jiǎndān, simple). Focus on using it in sentences that express challenges, enhancing your ability to discuss difficulties in various contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 难 to describe something that is simply 'not good.' For example, they might say '这个菜很难' (Zhège cài hěn nán) intending to say 'This dish is not good,' which should instead be '这个菜不好' (Zhège cài bù hǎo).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 难

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Etymology of 难

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 隹 represents the meaning and 堇 represents the sound. The character is based on the original meaning "type of bird", which is unrelated to the modern meaning. The simplified character 难 was adapted from the cursive form of th

Memory Hint

A hand 又 trying to grasp at a bird 隹

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 难

Phonosemantic compound. 隹 represents the meaning and 堇 represents the sound. The character is based on the original meaning "type of bird", which is unrelated to the modern meaning. The simplified character 难 was adapted from the cursive form of th

  1. 1The giveawayA hand 又 trying to grasp at a bird 隹
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 难? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 难?

Decomposition of 难

IDS Structure⿰又隹
难Full Character
=
又you4
left
隹zhui1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 难?

How to say difficult (to...) in Chinese

“difficult (to...)” in Chinese is难nán

The character 难 (nán) means 'difficult' or 'hard.' It is commonly used to describe tasks or situations that pose challenges or problems. It can also convey a sense of distress or disaster, often in personal or situational contexts, making it a versatile term in both everyday conversation and more serious discussions.

When to use 难

Learners often confuse 难 (difficult) with 简单 (jiǎndān), which means 'easy.' Use 难 in both formal and informal contexts, but be careful when collocating it with verbs. For example, '难做' (nán zuò) means 'hard to do,' while '难以' (nán yǐ) means 'difficult to.'

难 or something close to it

难 (nán) vs 难受 (nánshòu) — use 难 (nán) for describing difficulty in tasks, while 难受 (nánshòu) specifically refers to emotional distress.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 难 to describe something that is simply 'not good.' For example, they might say '这个菜很难' (Zhège cài hěn nán) intending to say 'This dish is not good,' which should instead be '这个菜不好' (Zhège cài bù hǎo).

Write 难

难

Practice writing 难 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 难

难 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 9 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

____道你没去过长城吗？

Don't tell me you've never been to the Great Wall?

Common Confusions with 难

难vs冉
rǎn

Similar shape but different pronunciation and meaning.

难vs南
nán

Same pronunciation but different meaning.

难 (nán) means 'difficult', while 赧 (nǎn) means 'blushing' or 'embarrassed'.

1

他觉得这个问题很难。 (Tā juédé zhège wèntí hěn nán.) - He thinks this problem is very difficult.

难 (nán) means 'difficult', while 赧 (nǎn) means 'blushing' or 'embarrassed'.

💡Think of '难' as in 'nothing can be done' when facing difficulty.
Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "difficult (to...)"?

or

Usage Notes for 难

Misunderstanding '难' in contextCommon Error

'难' can sometimes be confused with '难受' (nánshòu) which means 'uncomfortable' or 'suffer'.

1

这道题太难了。

This question is too difficult.

2

我觉得很难受。

I feel very uncomfortable.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

这道题太____了。

This question is too difficult.

Example Sentences for 难 (13)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
adifficult (to...)10
1
做你拿手的事情，不要勉为其难。

zuò nǐ ná shǒu de shì qíng， ， bù yào miǎn wéi qí。

Do what you know you can do well and don't overstretch yourself.
2
你难道不知道你把我们大家都吓得不轻吗？

nǐ nán dào bù zhī dào nǐ bǎ wǒ mén dà jiā dū xià dé bù qīng ma？

Don't you realize what a scare you've given us all?
3
你一旦弄懂了，就不太难了。

nǐ yī dàn nòng dǒng le， ， jiù bù tài nán。

It isn't too difficult once you get the idea.
4
他难道不是你见过的最美的事物么？

tā nán dào bù shì nǐ jiàn guò de zuì měi de shì wù mó？

Isn't he just the most beautiful thing you ever saw?
5
你很够朋友，是真正的患难之交。

nǐ hěn gòu péng yǒu， ， shì zhēn zhèng de huàn nán zhī。

You were a brick, a real friend in need.
6
约翰，我为史蒂夫感到难过，但是我想你的决定是正确的。

yuē hàn， ， wǒ wéi shǐ dì fū gǎn dào nán， guò ， dàn shì wǒ xiǎng nǐ de jué dìng shì zhèng。

John, I'm sorry for Steve, but I think you'vemade the right decisions.
7
我们需要的不是善意但难以实现的宣言，而是实际行动。

wǒ mén xū yào de bù shì shàn yì dàn nán yǐ shí xiàn de xuān yán， ， ér shì shí jì háng。

What we need is not manifestos of pious intentions, but real action.
8
调查已经展开，以查明灾难是如何发生的。

tiáo chá yǐ jīng zhǎn kāi， ， yǐ chá míng zāi nán shì rú hé fā shēng。

An investigation is underway to find out how the disaster happened.
9
我们得到了通常难以获取的大量数据。

wǒ mén dé dào le tōng cháng nán yǐ huò qǔ de dà liáng shù jù。

We gained a rich supply of data which would normally be inaccessible.
10
我们陷入了难以言表的糟糕处境。

wǒ mén xiàn rù le nán yǐ yán biǎo de zāo gāo chǔ jìng。

We were in a disaster situation that defies description.
aproblem3
11
这个数学题很难，我需要多复习。

Zhè gè shùxuétí hěn nán, wǒ xūyào duō fùxí.

This math problem is difficult, I need to review more.
12
学习新语言有很多难，但我会坚持下去。

Xuéxí xīn yǔyán yǒu hěn duō nán, dàn wǒ huì jiānchí xiàqù.

There are many problems in learning a new language, but I will keep going.
13
如果遇到难，可以请老师帮忙。

Rúguǒ yùdào nán, kěyǐ qǐng lǎoshī bāngmáng.

If you encounter a problem, you can ask the teacher for help.

Cultural Notes for 难

💡Did you know?

In Chinese culture, the concept of '难' is often linked to the idea that overcoming difficulties leads to personal growth and strength. This reflects the common belief that challenges can be beneficial.

Word Family of 难

Compounds4
滩tan1beach
摊tan1to spread out
瘫tan1paralyzed
傩nuo2rich
Words Containing This Character20
难nánproblem難
难道nándàodon't tell me ...難道
困难kùnnandifficult困難
难以nányǐhard to (predict, imagine etc)難以
难过nánguòto feel sad難過
艰难jiānnánhard艱難
难以置信nányǐzhìxìnhard to believe難以置信
难受nánshòuto feel unwell難受
难度nándùtrouble難度
难得nándéseldom難得
灾难zāinàndisaster災難
难题nántídifficult problem難題
难怪nánguài(it's) no wonder (that...)難怪
难忘nánwàngunforgettable難忘
难堪nánkānhard to take難堪
难免nánmiǎnhard to avoid難免
为难wéinánto feel embarrassed or awkward為難
遇难yùnànto perish遇難
苦难kǔnànsuffering苦難
难关nánguāndifficulty難關
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 滩 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 难

Some synonyms for 难 include 困难 (kùn nán), which means 'difficulty,' and 难受 (nán shòu), which means 'hard to bear.' These words can also convey a sense of challenge or discomfort in various contexts.

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