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艰苦 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
艰苦
jiānkǔ
difficult
HSK 5, a, 16 strokes, rank #7226, Hard
艰苦
jiānkǔ
hard
HSK 5, a, 16 strokes, rank #7226, Hard
艰苦
jiānkǔ
arduous
HSK 5, a, 16 strokes, rank #7226, Hard
jiānkǔ(jian1ku3)jian ku T1
1difficult
2hard
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March 24, 2026
艰苦(艱苦)jiānkǔ(jian1ku3)
艰苦 means difficult or arduous, often used to describe challenging situations or experiences that require significant effort and endurance. It can refer to physical hardships, such as labor-intensive tasks, or metaphorical struggles, like overcoming personal obstacles.
Strokes16Frequency#7226DifficultyHard
Cultural note
艰苦 is often used in the context of Chinese historical struggles, such as the Long March during the Chinese Civil War, symbolizing resilience and determination in the face of adversity.
Memory tip
Imagine a rugged mountain path (艰) that is hard to climb (苦), representing the difficult journey one must endure. The character 艰 includes the radical for 'hardship' (艰) and the character for 'bitter' (苦), emphasizing the tough nature of the challenge.
Meanings of 艰苦
jiānkǔ(jian1ku3)
1difficult
2hard
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About 艰苦
艰苦Simplified
艱苦Traditional
16Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#7226Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 艰苦
Podcast: 艰苦
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AI study notes for 艰苦
Quick Contrast
艰难 (jiānnán) - use 艰苦 for physical or laborious challenges, while 艰难 often refers to more abstract or metaphorical difficulties.
Usage Notes
艰苦 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, but typically in discussions about struggles or perseverance. Be careful with the tone; it is pronounced with the first tone (jian) and the third tone (ku), which can change the meaning if mispronounced. Common collocations include '艰苦的生活' (difficult life) and '艰苦的工作' (hard work).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 5 word, 艰苦 connects with other vocabulary related to challenges and perseverance. Students should focus on using it in sentences that describe personal experiences or historical events involving hardship.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 艰苦 with 简单 (simple), leading to incorrect phrases like '艰苦的事情' when they mean '简单的事情'. Ensure you understand the contrast between hardship and simplicity.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 艰苦
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艰苦 means difficult or arduous, often used to describe challenging situations or experiences that require significant effort and endurance. It can refer to physical hardships, such as labor-intensive tasks, or metaphorical struggles, like overcoming personal obstacles.
When to use 艰苦
艰苦 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, but typically in discussions about struggles or perseverance. Be careful with the tone; it is pronounced with the first tone (jian) and the third tone (ku), which can change the meaning if mispronounced. Common collocations include '艰苦的生活' (difficult life) and '艰苦的工作' (hard work).
艰苦 or something close to it
艰难 (jiānnán) - use 艰苦 for physical or laborious challenges, while 艰难 often refers to more abstract or metaphorical difficulties.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 艰苦 with 简单 (simple), leading to incorrect phrases like '艰苦的事情' when they mean '简单的事情'. Ensure you understand the contrast between hardship and simplicity.
Write 艰苦
艰
苦
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Grammar patterns of 艰苦
艰苦 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 3 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.
