kǔ
bitter
hardship
pain
to suffer
to bring suffering to
painstakingly
tòng kǔ
pain
suffering
painful
CL:個|个[ge4]
xīn kǔ
hard
exhausting
with much toil
thanks for your trouble
kǔ qíng
wretched situation
plight
wretched
miserable
gān kǔ
good times and hardships
joys and tribulations
for better or for worse
kùn kǔ
deprivation
distressed
miserable
kǔ xiào
to force a smile
a bitter laugh
kǔ xīn
painstaking effort
to take a lot of trouble
laborious at pains
jí kǔ
pain and difficulties
suffering (of the people)
kǔ zhōng
secret trouble
sorrow
difficulties
kǔ mèn
depressed
dejected
feeling low
kǔ lì
bitter work
hard toil
(loanword) coolie, unskilled Chinese laborer in colonial times
kǔ hǎi
lit. sea of bitterness
abyss of worldly suffering (Buddhist term)
depths of misery
kǔ shuǐ
bitter water (e.g. mineral water containing sulfates)
suffering
digestive fluids rising from stomach to the mouth
fig. bitter complaint
kǔ zhàn
bitter struggle
hard battle
arduous effort
sù kǔ
to grumble
to complain
grievance
hé kǔ
why bother?
is it worth the trouble?
jiào kǔ
to whine about hardships
to complain of one's bitter lot
to complain
to grumble
kǔ sè
bitter and astringent
pained
agonized
kǔ guā
bitter melon (bitter gourd, balsam pear, balsam apple, leprosy gourd, bitter cucumber)
wā kǔ
to speak sarcastically
to make cutting remarks
suān tián kǔ là
sour, sweet, bitter and spicy hot
fig. the joys and sorrows of life
kǔ guǒ
lit. bitter fruit
fig. painful consequence
kǔ chǔ
suffering
misery
pain (esp. psychological)
kǔ mìng
hard lot
bitter fate
unfortunate
chī kǔ nài láo
hardworking and enduring hardships (idiom)
xīn xīn kǔ kǔ
painstakingly
with great trouble
kǔ gān
to work hard
to make a laborious effort
to toil
to labor away
to beaver away despite difficulties
qiān xīn wàn kǔ
to suffer untold hardships (idiom); trials and tribulations
with difficulty
after some effort
mái tóu kǔ gàn
to bury oneself in work (idiom); to be engrossed in work
to make an all-out effort
up to the neck in work
kǔ kǔ
strenuously
persistently
hard
painful
kǔ shēn
liquorice (Sophora flavescens), with roots used in TCM
yòng xīn liáng kǔ
to ponder earnestly
to give a lot of thought to sth
tóng gān gòng kǔ
shared delights and common hardships (idiom); to share life's joys and sorrows
for better or for worse
kǔ sī
to think hard
bitter thoughts
to pour out one's sufferings
kǔ kǒu pó xīn
earnest and well-meaning advice (idiom); to persuade patiently
kǔ xīn jīng yíng
to build up an enterprise through painstaking efforts
shà fèi kǔ xīn
to take a lot of trouble (idiom); painstaking
at the cost of a lot of effort
chóu méi kǔ liǎn
to look anxious (idiom)
to look miserable
liáng kǔ yòng xīn
to ponder earnestly
to give a lot of thought to sth
hán xīn rú kǔ
to suffer every possible torment (idiom); bitter hardship
to bear one's cross
kǔ chāi
hard task
difficult mission
arduous and unrewarding undertaking
drudgery
grind
chore
kǔ kǒu
lit. bitter taste (cf good medicine tastes bitter 良藥苦口|良药苦口)
fig. earnestly (of warning, advice)
jiào kǔ bu dié
to complain without stopping (idiom); to bitch endlessly
incessant grievances
kǔ zhōng zuò lè
to find joy in sorrows (idiom); to enjoy sth in spite of one's suffering
bù cí xīn kǔ
to make nothing of hardships
kǔ kǔ āi qiú
to entreat piteously
to implore
tǔ kǔ shuǐ
to have bitter digestive fluids rising to the mouth
fig. to complain bitterly
to pour out one's sufferings
kǔ yì
forced labor
corvée
penal servitude
kǔ ròu jì
the trick of injuring oneself to gain the enemy's confidence
CL:條|条[tiao2]
kǔ jìn gān lái
bitterness finishes, sweetness begins (idiom); the hard times are over, the good times just beginning
kǔ gōng
hard work
laborious effort
painstaking work
kǔ gōng
hard labor (in penal code)
coolie
kǔ zhǔ
victim's family (esp. in murder case)
míng sī kǔ xiǎng
to consider from all angles (idiom); to think hard
to rack one's brains
kè kǔ nǔ lì
assiduous
taking great pains
qín xué kǔ liàn
to study diligently
to train assiduously
hé kǔ ne
why bother?
is it worth the trouble?
kǔ sī míng xiǎng
to consider from all angles (idiom); to think hard
to rack one's brains
kè kǔ nài láo
to bear hardships and work hard (idiom); assiduous and long-suffering
hard-working and capable of overcoming adversity
kǔ zhú
bitter bamboo (Pleioblastus amarus)
kǔ áo
to endure (years of suffering)
yǒu kǔ shuō bu chū
having unspeakable bitter suffering
(often used after 啞巴吃黃連|哑巴吃黄连[ya3 ba5 chi1 huang2 lian2])
jiào kǔ lián tiān
to whine on for days (idiom)
to endlessly grumble complaints
incessant whining
kǔ liàn
chinaberry (Melia azedarach)
tuō lí kǔ hǎi
to escape from the abyss of suffering
to shed off a wretched plight
liáng yào kǔ kǒu
good medicine tastes bitter (idiom); fig. frank criticism is hard to swallow
yì kǔ sī tián
to view one's past as miserable and one's present as happy (idiom)
pí ròu zhī kǔ
physical pain
lit. skin and flesh suffer
chī kǔ tou
to suffer
to suffer for one's actions
to pay dearly
to burn one's fingers
kǔ dà chóu shēn
great bitterness, deep hatred (idiom); deeply ingrained long-standing resentment
dào kǔ shuǐ
to pour out one's grievances
kǔ cài huā
Bitter cauliflower, 1954 socialist realist novel by Feng Deying 馮德英|冯德英[Féng Dé yīng] loosely based on Maxim Gorky's Mother, made into a 1967 film by Li Ang
kǔ ài
wormwood
Artemisia absinthium
bā kǔ
the eight distresses - birth, age, sickness, death, parting with what we love, meeting with what we hate, unattained aims, and all the ills of the five skandhas (Buddhism)
kǔ guā liǎn
sour expression on one's face
tóng gān kǔ
to share joys and sorrows
sharing good times and hard times
same as 同甘共苦
kǔ xīn gū yì
to make painstaking efforts (idiom); after much trouble
to work hard at sth
qī fēng kǔ yǔ
lit. mourning the wind and bewailing the rain; fig. in a wretched plight
miserable circumstances
Huáng tiān bù fù kǔ xīn rén
Heaven will not disappoint the person who tries (idiom). If you try hard, you're bound to succeed eventually.
zì zhǎo kǔ chī
to bring trouble on oneself
kǔ ài jiǔ
absinthe (distilled anise-based liquor)
kǔ kuàng
wretched state
miserable plight
fǎng pín wèn kǔ
to visit the poor and ask about their suffering (idiom)
kǔ huó
bitter work
sweated labor
biàn kǔ
to sour
to turn sour
to curdle
mài kǔ lì
to make a hard living as unskilled laborer
kǔ líng
chinaberry (Melia azedarach)
kǔ jí miè dào
the Four Noble Truths (Budd.), namely: all life is suffering 苦, the cause of suffering is desire 集, emancipation comes only by eliminating passions 滅|灭, the way 道 to emancipation is the Eight-fold Noble Way 八正道
also called 四諦|四谛
yǎ ba chī huáng lián , yǒu kǔ shuō bu chū
to be forced to suffer in silence
unable to speak of one's bitter suffering
sometimes written 啞子吃黃連,有苦說不出|哑子吃黄连,有苦说不出
kǔ hǎi wú biān , huí tóu shì àn
The sea of bitterness has no bounds, turn your head to see the shore (idiom). Only Buddhist enlightenment can allow one to shed off the abyss of worldly suffering.
Repent and ye shall be saved!
kǔ xíng
torture
corporal punishment (traditionally involving mutilation or amputation)
kǔ nàn shēn zhòng
deep grief
extensive sorrow
jiān kǔ zhuó jué
persisting despite trials and tribulations (idiom); conspicuous determination
xiǎo dòng bù bǔ dà dòng chī kǔ
A small hole not plugged will make you suffer a big hole (idiom); a stitch in time saves nine
kǔ gēn
underlying cause of poverty
gū kǔ líng dīng
variant of 孤苦伶仃[gu1 ku3 ling2 ding1]
kǔ qù
wretched feelings (opposite: 樂趣|乐趣, delight)
dà chī kǔ tou
to suffer
to suffer for one's actions
to pay dearly
to burn one's fingers
yì kǔ fàn
unsavory meal taken in remembrance of past hardships
fig. poor-tasting meal
yù xuè kǔ zhàn
a blood soaked and hard-fought struggle (idiom)
rú kǔ hán xīn
bitter hardship
to bear one's cross
kǔ hǎi máng máng
sea of bitterness is vast (idiom)
kǔ zhí
cutleaf ground-cherry
Physalis angulata
míng sī kǔ suǒ
to mull over (idiom)
to think long and hard
bù shèng qí kǔ
unable to bear the pain (idiom)
dào xuán zhī kǔ
lit. the pain of being hanged upside down (idiom); fig. extremely critical situation
dire straits
zuǐ tián xīn kǔ
sweet mouth, bitter heart (idiom); insincere flattery
kǔ huó r
erhua variant of 苦活[ku3 huo2]
liáng gōng xīn kǔ
expert craft from hard practice (idiom); hard-won skill
A masterpiece demands suffering.
láo xīn kǔ sī
to rack one's brains
to think hard
kǔ xíng shú zuì
penance (to atone for a sin)
zhuāng qióng jiào kǔ
to feign and complain bitterly of being poverty stricken (idiom)
Bì lǔ kǔ zhí
Peruvian ground-cherry
cape gooseberry
Physalis peruviana
kǔ bu jī r
erhua variant of 苦不唧[ku3 bu5 ji1]
xiǎo dòng bù dǔ , dà dòng chī kǔ
A small hole not plugged will make you suffer a big hole (俗语 common saying). A stitch in time saves nine.
xiǎo dòng bù dǔ , dà dòng shòu kǔ
A small hole not plugged will make you suffer a big hole (俗语 common saying). A stitch in time saves nine.
bù jīng yī fān fēng shuāng kǔ , nán dé là méi tǔ qīng xiāng
Without once passing through the winter's cold and wind, where would the sweet spring fragrance come from?
hào qí huì chī kǔ tou de
Curiosity killed the cat.
jiān kǔ pǔ sù
leading a plain, hardworking life (idiom)
kǔ hā hā
to have difficulty getting by
to struggle (financially etc)
kǔ hǎi wú biān , huí tóu shì àn
The sea of bitterness has no bounds, turn your head to see the shore (idiom). Only Buddhist enlightenment can allow one to shed off the abyss of worldly suffering.
Repent and ye shall be saved!
kǔ liàn
to train hard
to practice diligently
hard work
blood, sweat, and tears
Kǔ Cài huā
Bitter Cauliflower, 1954 socialist realist novel by Feng Deying 馮德英|冯德英[Feng2 De2 ying1] loosely based on Maxim Gorky's Mother, made into a 1967 film by Li Ang
dūn kǔ yáo
(slang) to be behind bars
lí kǔ dé lè
to abandon suffering and obtain happiness (Buddhism)
zì tǎo kǔ chī
to ask for trouble (idiom)
to make a rod for one's own back
hóng jiǎo kǔ è niǎo
(bird species of China) brown crake (Amaurornis akool)
mìng kǔ
to be born under an ill star
gū kǔ líng dīng
solitary and impoverished (idiom)
xiǎo dòng bù dǔ , dà dòng shòu kǔ
A small hole not plugged will make you suffer a big hole (idiom); A stitch in time saves nine.
xiǎo dòng bù dǔ , dà dòng chī kǔ
A small hole not plugged will make you suffer a big hole (idiom); A stitch in time saves nine.
ài bié lí kǔ
(Buddhism) the pain of parting with what (or whom) one loves, one of the eight distresses 八苦[ba1 ku3]
qī fēng kǔ yǔ
lit. bleak wind and icy rain (idiom)
fig. hardships
miserable circumstances
qīng kǔ
destitute but honest
poor and simple
spartan
austere
bìng kǔ
pains (of illness)
sufferings (esp. in Buddhism)
bái xiōng kǔ è niǎo
(bird species of China) white-breasted waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus)
ǎi jiǎo kǔ hāo
see 熊膽草|熊胆草[xiong2 dan3 cao3]
bèi cháng xīn kǔ
to have suffered all kinds of hardships (idiom)