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痛苦 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
痛苦
tòngkǔ
pain
HSK 5, an, 20 strokes, rank #855, Hard
痛苦
tòngkǔ
suffering
HSK 5, an, 20 strokes, rank #855, Hard
痛苦
tòngkǔ
painful
HSK 5, an, 20 strokes, rank #855, Hard
tòngkǔ(tong4ku3)tong ku T4
1pain
2suffering
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March 24, 2026
痛苦tòngkǔ(tong4ku3)
痛苦 (tòngkǔ) refers to both physical pain and emotional suffering. It is commonly used to describe intense discomfort or distress, whether it be from an injury or a difficult emotional experience. This term captures the essence of suffering in various contexts, such as health, relationships, or life challenges.
Strokes20Frequency#855DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the concept of suffering is often connected to resilience and the idea of enduring hardships, as seen in many traditional sayings. Understanding 痛苦 can provide insight into how Chinese people view challenges in life as opportunities for growth.
Memory tip
Think of 痛 (tòng) as 'tough' pain and 苦 (kǔ) as 'bitter' suffering. Imagine a tough, bitter medicine that you have to take when you're in pain. The combination of the two characters evokes the idea of enduring something very difficult.
Meanings of 痛苦
tòngkǔ(tong4ku3)
1pain
2suffering
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 痛苦
痛苦Simplified
20Strokes
—Radical
名形词xíngróngcíadj-noun (adj.-n.)Part of Speech
#855Frequency Rank
个Measure Word
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2CEFRA2
Podcast: 痛苦
Podcast: 痛苦
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AI study notes for 痛苦
Quick Contrast
苦 (kǔ) refers specifically to bitterness or suffering, while 痛苦 (tòngkǔ) encompasses both physical pain and emotional suffering.
Usage Notes
Be cautious when using 痛苦 as it can sound overly dramatic in some contexts, particularly in casual conversation. It's often paired with verbs like 'experience' (经历) or 'endure' (忍受) to convey a more vivid sense of suffering.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 痛苦 connects to other vocabulary related to health and emotions. Students should focus on understanding its usage in complex sentences and practice using it with other verbs and adjectives to enhance their expressive ability.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 痛苦 with 伤心 (shāngxīn), which means 'sadness.' For example, saying '我感到痛苦' (Wǒ gǎndào tòngkǔ) instead of '我伤心' (Wǒ shāngxīn) when simply feeling sad is incorrect. Use 痛苦 for deeper suffering rather than general sadness.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 痛苦
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Knowing 痛苦 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
痛苦 (tòngkǔ) refers to both physical pain and emotional suffering. It is commonly used to describe intense discomfort or distress, whether it be from an injury or a difficult emotional experience. This term captures the essence of suffering in various contexts, such as health, relationships, or life challenges.
When to use 痛苦
Be cautious when using 痛苦 as it can sound overly dramatic in some contexts, particularly in casual conversation. It's often paired with verbs like 'experience' (经历) or 'endure' (忍受) to convey a more vivid sense of suffering.
痛苦 or something close to it
苦 (kǔ) refers specifically to bitterness or suffering, while 痛苦 (tòngkǔ) encompasses both physical pain and emotional suffering.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 痛苦 with 伤心 (shāngxīn), which means 'sadness.' For example, saying '我感到痛苦' (Wǒ gǎndào tòngkǔ) instead of '我伤心' (Wǒ shāngxīn) when simply feeling sad is incorrect. Use 痛苦 for deeper suffering rather than general sadness.
Write 痛苦
痛
苦
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Grammar patterns of 痛苦
痛苦 carries 3 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
当你从内心深处找到一种可以忍受一切____的坚强力量时，你的成长历程就会出现飞跃。
The turning point in the process of growing up is when you discover the core of strength within you that survives all hurt.--Max Lerner
