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痛苦 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
痛苦tòngkǔpainHSK 5, an, rank #855, Medium
痛苦tòngkǔsufferingHSK 5, an, rank #855, Medium
痛苦tòngkǔpainfulHSK 5, an, rank #855, Medium
痛苦tòngkǔ>个[gè]HSK 5, an, rank #855, Medium
tòngkǔ(tong4ku3) T4
  1. 1pain
  2. 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.

Frequency#855DifficultyMedium
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

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About 痛苦

痛苦Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
名形词xíngróngcíadj-noun (adj.-n.)Part of Speech
#855Frequency Rank
个Measure Word
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2CEFRA2

Podcast: 痛苦

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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.

Memory Mnemonic

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.

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.

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.

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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Component Characters

痛tòngache
HSK 412 strokes疒
View full entry
苦kǔbitter
HSK 48 strokes艹
View full entry

Write 痛苦

痛
苦

Practice writing 痛苦 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 痛苦

痛苦 carries 4 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

Complete the Sentence

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

Example Sentences for 痛苦 (10)

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1
当你从内心深处找到一种可以忍受一切痛苦的坚强力量时，你的成长历程就会出现飞跃。

dāng nǐ cóng nèi xīn shēn chǔ zhǎo dào yī zhǒng kě yǐ rěn shòu yī qiē tòng kǔ de jiān qiáng lì liáng shí， ， nǐ de chéng cháng lì chéng jiù huì chū xiàn fēi。

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
2
不骗你，离开你让我痛苦万分。

bù piàn nǐ， ， lí kāi nǐ ràng wǒ tòng kǔ wàn。

Don't think it hasn't torn me apart to be away from you.
3
这远不如戴维所料想的那么痛苦。

zhè yuǎn bù rú dài wéi suǒ liào xiǎng de nà mó tòng kǔ。

It was nowhere near as painful as David had expected.
4
我儿子遭受了巨大痛苦，他失去了最要好的朋友。

wǒ ér zǐ zāo shòu le jù dà tòng kǔ， ， tā shī qù le zuì yào hǎo de péng。

My son has suffered terribly. He has lost his best friend.
5
罗布在做医生还是当运动员之间痛苦抉择，左右为难。

luó bù zài zuò yī shēng huán shì dāng yùn dòng yuán zhī jiān tòng kǔ jué zé， ， zuǒ yòu wéi。

Robb is torn between becoming a doctor and a career in athletics.
6
失败的痛苦过去以后，英国人应该认真反思一下。

shī bài de tòng kǔ guò qù yǐ hòu， ， yīng guó rén yīng gāi rèn zhēn fǎn sī yī。

After the pain of defeat passes, England have some thinking to do.
7
夜里他的痛苦是减轻了，但人也不那么清醒了。

yè lǐ tā de tòng kǔ shì jiǎn qīng le， ， dàn rén yě bù nà mó qīng xǐng。

The pain had lessened in the night, but so had his lucidity.
8
这是一种让人受尽折磨、痛苦难忍的杀人方法。

zhè shì yī zhǒng ràng rén shòu jìn zhē mó、 、 tòng kǔ nán rěn de shā rén fāng。

This is a torturous, agonizing way to kill someone.
9
那笔钱带来的只有伤心、痛苦和悲剧。

nà bǐ qián dài lái de zhī yǒu shāng xīn、 、 tòng kǔ hé bēi。

All that money brought nothing but sadness and misery and tragedy.
10
那就是为什么他感到有些痛苦。

nà jiù shì wéi shí mó tā gǎn dào yǒu xiē tòng kǔ。

That was the very reason why he felt a certain bitterness.

Cultural Notes for 痛苦

🏮Cultural insight

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.

Frequently Asked Questions about 痛苦

No, 痛苦 can refer to both physical and emotional suffering.