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艰苦 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
艰苦jiānkǔdifficultHSK 5, a, rank #7226, Hard
艰苦jiānkǔhardHSK 5, a, rank #7226, Hard
艰苦jiānkǔarduousHSK 5, a, rank #7226, Hard
jiānkǔ(jian1ku3) T1
  1. 1difficult
  2. 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.

Frequency#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
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 艰苦

艰苦Simplified
艱苦Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#7226Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2

Podcast: 艰苦

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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.

Memory Mnemonic

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.

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.

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.

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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Component Characters

艰jiāndifficult
8 strokes又
View full entry
苦kǔbitter
HSK 48 strokes艹
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Write 艰苦

艰
苦

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

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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.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

条件虽____，也没有人抱怨。

Although the conditions are harsh, nobody complains.

Example Sentences for 艰苦 (10)

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1
你是否付出艰苦努力以取得成功，而不是只在那里做白日梦？

nǐ shì fǒu fù chū jiān kǔ nǔ lì yǐ qǔ dé chéng gōng， ， ér bù shì zhī zài nà lǐ zuò bái rì？

Do you work hard for success rather than daydream about it?
2
不管结果如何，这都会是场艰苦的战斗。

bù guǎn jié guǒ rú hé， ， zhè dū huì shì cháng jiān kǔ de zhàn。

Whatever the outcome, it's going to be one hell of a fight.
3
他发现这次旅行非常艰苦。

tā fā xiàn zhè cì lǚ háng fēi cháng jiān kǔ。

He found the rigours of the tour too demanding.
4
公司在降低成本方面付出了艰苦卓绝的努力。

gōng sī zài jiàng dī chéng běn fāng miàn fù chū le jiān kǔ zhuó jué de nǔ lì。

The company has made heroic efforts at cost reduction.
5
他在这场艰苦比赛的最后一局中踉跄结束。

tā zài zhè cháng jiān kǔ bǐ sài de zuì hòu yī jú zhōng liáng qiāng jié shù。

He finally faltered in the last game of a heroic match.
6
他的独立性是在艰苦的环境中锤炼出来的。

tā de dú lì xìng shì zài jiān kǔ de huán jìng zhōng chuí liàn chū lái de。

His independence had been forged on the anvil of a harsh environment.
7
对她而言，那是一段非常艰苦的生活。

duì tā ér yán， ， nà shì yī duàn fēi cháng jiān kǔ de shēng。

It had been a hard life for her.
8
那是个极其艰苦的工作。

nà shì gè jí qí jiān kǔ de gōng zuò。

It was incredibly hard work.
9
那是个艰苦的年代。

nà shì gè jiān kǔ de nián dài。

It was an era of austerity.
10
虽然这是一场艰苦的斗争，但我相信我们会取得胜利。

suī rán zhè shì yī cháng jiān kǔ de dǒu zhēng， ， dàn wǒ xiāng xìn wǒ mén huì qǔ dé shèng。

It's an uphill battle but I think we're going to win.

Cultural Notes for 艰苦

🏮Cultural insight

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.

Frequently Asked Questions about 艰苦

You can use 艰苦 to describe both physical and emotional challenges, such as enduring a tough job or dealing with personal hardships.