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March 24, 2026
辛苦xīnkǔ(xin1ku3)
辛苦 (xīn kǔ) refers to something that is hard, exhausting, or requires significant effort and toil. It is often used to express gratitude for someone's hard work or to describe a challenging situation. In conversational settings, it can convey a sense of empathy towards someone's struggles.
Strokes15Frequency#2564DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, acknowledging someone's辛苦 is important as it reflects respect and appreciation for their hard work, especially in family and business settings. This reflects the cultural value placed on diligence and effort.
Memory Tip
Imagine someone sweating in the hot sun while carrying a heavy load, feeling '辛' (辛, xīn) like thorns prickling their skin and '苦' (苦, kǔ) like tasting the bitterness of hard work. Together, they symbolize the toil and effort involved in hard labor.
Meanings of 辛苦
xīnkǔ(xin1ku3)
1hard
2exhausting
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About 辛苦
辛苦Simplified
15Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#2564Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4IntermediateHSKKL3BCT✓CEFRB2
Podcast: 辛苦
Podcast: 辛苦
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AI Study Notes for 辛苦
Quick Contrast
艰辛 (jiānxīn) vs. 辛苦 (xīnkǔ): Use 辛苦 for expressing gratitude or empathy towards someone's efforts, while 艰辛 emphasizes the difficulty of the situation itself.
Usage Notes
Be cautious not to confuse 辛苦 with similar words like 劳累 (láo lèi), which is more specific to tiredness rather than toil. It is often used in informal contexts to express appreciation, such as '谢谢你的辛苦' (xiè xiè nǐ de xīn kǔ - 'Thank you for your hard work').
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 4 word, 辛苦 connects to other terms related to work and effort. Focus on using it in different contexts, such as expressing gratitude or discussing physical and emotional challenges, to deepen your understanding.
Common Mistakes
Learners often misuse 辛苦 by saying '我辛苦' (wǒ xīn kǔ) inappropriately to mean 'I am tired.' A better expression would be '我很累' (wǒ hěn lèi). Additionally, they might forget to use it in a context that acknowledges someone else's effort.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 辛苦
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辛苦 (xīn kǔ) refers to something that is hard, exhausting, or requires significant effort and toil. It is often used to express gratitude for someone's hard work or to describe a challenging situation. In conversational settings, it can convey a sense of empathy towards someone's struggles.
When to use 辛苦
Be cautious not to confuse 辛苦 with similar words like 劳累 (láo lèi), which is more specific to tiredness rather than toil. It is often used in informal contexts to express appreciation, such as '谢谢你的辛苦' (xiè xiè nǐ de xīn kǔ - 'Thank you for your hard work').
辛苦 or something close to it
艰辛 (jiānxīn) vs. 辛苦 (xīnkǔ): Use 辛苦 for expressing gratitude or empathy towards someone's efforts, while 艰辛 emphasizes the difficulty of the situation itself.
What learners get wrong
Learners often misuse 辛苦 by saying '我辛苦' (wǒ xīn kǔ) inappropriately to mean 'I am tired.' A better expression would be '我很累' (wǒ hěn lèi). Additionally, they might forget to use it in a context that acknowledges someone else's effort.
Write 辛苦
辛
苦
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Grammar Patterns of 辛苦
辛苦 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 4 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.
