HSK 4 · Chinese hanzi
苦 — bitter
- Reading
- kǔ
- Meaning
- bitter; hardship; suffering
- HSK level
- HSK 4
- Language
- Chinese
About this hanzi
苦 is a chinese hanzi character commonly studied at the HSK 4 level. Its primary reading is kǔ and it means bitter; hardship; suffering. To master it, see it in real Chinese content — import an article or YouTube video into InputDojo and every occurrence becomes a one-tap lookup.
苦 appears in everyday chinese words such as 苦 (bitter, hardship), 辛苦 (hard, toil, laborious) and 痛苦 (pain, suffering).
Chinese words containing 苦
Frequently asked questions
What does 苦 mean in Chinese?
苦 means bitter; hardship; suffering in Chinese. It is one of the HSK 4 hanzi every learner meets at that level.
How is 苦 read?
苦 is read kǔ. Reading it inside real words — 苦 and 辛苦 and more — is the fastest way to remember it.
What level is 苦 — is it HSK 4?
Yes. 苦 is on the official HSK 4 hanzi list, so it can appear in that exam's reading and vocabulary sections.
How do you use 苦 in a word?
A common word containing 苦 is 苦 (kǔ) — "bitter, hardship". More examples are listed below, each with a one-tap dictionary entry.
How do I learn 苦 effectively?
Read it in context. Import any Chinese article or video into InputDojo and every occurrence of 苦 becomes a one-tap lookup with SRS flashcards, so you meet it in real sentences instead of a list.
More HSK 4 hanzi
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