JLPT N3 · Japanese kanji
苦 — suffering
- Reading
- ク・くる.しい・\~ぐる.しい・くる.しむ・くる.しめる・にが.い・にが.る
- Meaning
- suffering; trial; worry; hardship; feel bitter; scowl
- JLPT level
- N3
- Language
- Japanese
About this kanji
苦 is a japanese kanji character commonly studied at the JLPT N3 level. Its primary reading is ク・くる.しい・\~ぐる.しい・くる.しむ・くる.しめる・にが.い・にが.る and it means suffering; trial; worry; hardship; feel bitter; scowl. To master it, see it in real Japanese content — import an article or YouTube video into InputDojo and every occurrence becomes a one-tap lookup.
苦 appears in everyday japanese words such as 苦心 (pain), 苦情 (complaint) and 苦労 (troubles).
Japanese words containing 苦
Frequently asked questions
What does 苦 mean in Japanese?
苦 means suffering; trial; worry; hardship; feel bitter; scowl in Japanese. It is one of the JLPT N3 kanji every learner meets at that level.
How is 苦 read?
苦 is read ク・くる.しい・\~ぐる.しい・くる.しむ・くる.しめる・にが.い・にが.る. Reading it inside real words — 苦心 and 苦情 and more — is the fastest way to remember it.
What level is 苦 — is it JLPT N3?
Yes. 苦 is on the official JLPT N3 kanji 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 苦心 (くしん) — "pain". More examples are listed below, each with a one-tap dictionary entry.
How do I learn 苦 effectively?
Read it in context. Import any Japanese 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 JLPT N3 kanji
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